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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22621477">Invader Zim: Resurgence {Emergence Sequel}</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ingayder/pseuds/ingayder'>ingayder</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irken_Scum/pseuds/Irken_Scum'>Irken_Scum</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Emergence [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Invader Zim</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Content warnings:, Dib meets Mothman, F/F, F/M, FUN TAGS:, Fluff, Genocide, Humor, Infant Death, M/M, Miscarriage, Multi, Parenthood, Plot Twists, Plot-heavy, Road Trips, Sequel, The Swollen Eyeball Network (Invader Zim), Torture, Weddings, extreme violence, self-harm (will be warned before it occurs dw), sorta - Freeform, suicide mentions (refers to failed attempts), trans dib</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 08:28:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,780</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22621477</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ingayder/pseuds/ingayder, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irken_Scum/pseuds/Irken_Scum</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>[DISCLAIMER: This is a sequel fic to "Invader Zim: Emergence" and the events herein take place directly after and as a result of the events of Emergence. Please read at least the main fic before proceeding, thank you!]</p><p>With the day saved and romance freshly in the air, Zim, Dib, and the rest of their group return from their adventure, with renewed vigor to settle in and enjoy their new lives in a time of peace. However, when it comes to this group, there's no such thing as a dull day. A series of comical misadventures leads to a dire discovery that may once again threaten everything they know. How will they field these new dangers, in addition to all the other things life has in store? And is the situation with Queen Titania as resolved as it seems? Perhaps there is more to her than meets the eye.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dib &amp; Zim (Invader Zim), Dib/Zim (Invader Zim), Gaz (Invader Zim)/Original Character(s), Invader Skoodge/Original Male Character(s), Tak/Invader Tenn, ZaDr - Relationship, tak/tenn/OC, tatr - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Emergence [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1626769</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had all happened so fast, she barely had time to process any of it.</p>
<p>One moment, a normal day, a normal life. Two kisses goodbye, and a short walk to work, the shiny red-steel paths lined with the teal reed-flowers of spring. A warm breeze. A calm, idyllic sky, with the shimmering surface of Aurex growing ever-closer. </p>
<p>The next moment, what felt like a storm that turned out to be the jets of an enormous white ship. Rough winds. Screaming. Running. Blood and death. Lights so bright that she didn’t know if she’d ever see right again. It felt like there was barely time to breathe before it was over. </p>
<p>How did this happen? And why?</p>
<p>Did it matter?</p>
<p>When she slowly drifted back to consciousness, it was to the sound of voices. Unfamiliar and strange, with a metallic quality to them. The lights were still bright. Or maybe it was the light from before, still burned into her brain. Hard to say. But the room smelled strange and sterile. There seemed to be bindings pinning her wrists and ankles to whatever surface she laid on. Gradually, her eyes began to adjust.</p>
<p>"What are the vitals on this one, Doc?"</p>
<p>"Stable. Not like the last one. You really need to pick them better, Tull, you almost got us a whole lot of work for nothing."</p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah, shuddup. Oh! Look, she's coming to!"</p>
<p>An alien in a white labcoat made his approach. He was tall and either reptilian or amphibious in nature, with pale flesh that was almost white but with just a hint of seafoam green.With a teardrop-shaped head covered in frilled fins, he had four dark, round eyes, and high-set nostrils with a pair of antenna-like frills above them. Almost like whiskers, but shaped more like fins. Similar fins covered his arms and digitigrade legs. The most expressive part of this hulking beast was his small mouth, situated between two bulky mandibles that didn’t seem to have a function, at least not in polite company. He held a clipboard, tapping at it with a pen just to hear the sound before setting it down beside the examination table.</p>
<p>"Ahh, there you are," He murmured, lifting one of his hands, pulling down her lower eyelids gently to get a good look. He had two fingers and a thumb, just like an Irken, but his fingers were stout and rounded and had no claws.  "Welcome aboard the Kurlean Armada, miss. Tell me, what day of the week is it? And what is your species name? Also, stick out your tongue, will you?"</p>
<p>"I... what?" </p>
<p>"Your name, day of the week, and your species," The Kurlean repeated, lifting one of her antennae to inspect it. "I trust you know these things, and I know these things, but I've got to make sure you have no brain damage."</p>
<p>“My name… My name is Titania,” she managed at last. “I’m Irken.”</p>
<p>“Excellent,” the Kurlean replied. “And the day of the week?”</p>
<p>“It’s---” She had to wrack her brain for that one. “...Tuesday?”</p>
<p>"Very good, very good." He hummed, pulling open her mouth with a metal tool. "Say 'ah.'"</p>
<p>Titania opened her mouth. "Ehhhh."</p>
<p>"Fascinating," His brow-ridges lifted. "You don't see ridged tongues often. And the teeth are entirely new. Tull, you're fine to get rid of the other one, this one's a perfect specimen. His Highness will be very pleased."</p>
<p>"Aye aye, Cap'n," The other one, a darker-colored one apparently named Tull, went over to another table, where there came a groan. </p>
<p>"Mmmmn?" Another Irken came to, wincing at the light, before tensing, starting to thrash at his binds. "What--- what's---"</p>
<p>"Hey there, fella! Looks like you got the chopping block," Tull grinned wickedly, and the sound of something unfastening from her leather belt was heard. "Any last words? You got a minute. Give us a memoir."</p>
<p>"Wait--- wait, n--- no, no no, please, I--- I don't understand," He wept. "Why is this happening? Who's doing this? Where is everyone else? What's---"</p>
<p>"Ah ah, too many questions," Tull tutted, and there came a small slicing sound, which made the Irken scream. "Easy there, buddy, easy! Just a little antenna! You bugs are so touchy."</p>
<p>"For god's sake, Tull, don't torture the man," The scientist hissed. </p>
<p>"What? You don't get to have all the fun, pokin' around with 'em!"</p>
<p>Panic set in as Titania listened to this horrible scene continue, only deepening as she realized she recognized the voice of a neighbor. A friend. “Krag.” She tried to sit up, but her binds held her in place. She was only able to lift her head enough to meet the man’s pink eyes across the room. “KRAG!”</p>
<p>"TITANIA!" There was more sounds of thrashing, and a desperate sob. "Oh, god, why is this happening!?"</p>
<p>"Ohhh, now this is interesting," Tull hummed. "Say, if you two had to pick one to die, who'd it be?"</p>
<p>Krag’s breath hitched and he sniffled. "Wh--- no, no, please, just--- just let us go, we won't say anything about any of this, I promise---"</p>
<p>"Ah-ah. I didn't say 'beg Tullie to let you go', I said, if you had to pick one to live and one to die, who'd it be?"</p>
<p>"Just let us stay together," Titania murmured, tears burning at all four of her eyes. "You can keep us. We won't fight. Just let us stay together. Please."</p>
<p>"Hmmmmmm. That doesn't sound fun. ...Could make it fun, though."</p>
<p>The other Kurlean in the labcoat rolled his eyes, which was hard to see by how dark they were, but his head rolled with them just enough to make the gesture more obvious. "Ugh, for god's sake, Tull, what are you up to?"</p>
<p>"C'mere, Doc. I got an idea."</p>
<p>The two went to the other side of the room, and the sounds of whispered bickering could be heard between them, the only other sounds in the room being Krag's hyperventilating. Before either Irken could think of anything to say, though, they came back, and with a button hit on each table, they were shifted slowly on the mechanical surface into sitting positions. </p>
<p>"So, here's the idea, and you can thank Doc for agreeing to me with this one! He hates it, but I think it'll be fun," Tull grinned wickedly, producing three small, white pills. "Two of these are sugar pills. You bugs like sugar, right? And one of these is a slow-acting neurotoxin. Fancy stuff. If both of you get the sugar pills, we'll just sell one off to another collector, but you might get lucky and both live. What'd'ya say? Willing to take the chance?"</p>
<p>Krag, whose face was pale and tear-streaked, tossed Titania a look. His eyes were wild, desperate, terrified, but he swallowed quickly, looking for her opinion before they did anything.</p>
<p>"Collector?" Titania asked, quietly outraged. "That's--- <i>that's</i> what this is about? But--- we're not even endangered!"</p>
<p>"Technically speaking," Doc started. "The Irkens are extinct in the wild, so I'd say endangered is putting it lightly."</p>
<p>Titania's face dropped. "...What?"</p>
<p>"That--- that can't be true," Krag murmured, stopping the pulling at his wrists. “There--- there are plenty of us, I have a family---”</p>
<p>"Full organic sweep would say otherwise," Tull remarked. "Aren't you two the lucky ones!"</p>
<p>Titania looked to Krag, horror lighting her features. "They're--- they're monsters," she murmured.</p>
<p>"They're--- lying!" Krag's face lit up with fury, jerking at his binds, looking blind with rage. "WHERE ARE THE OTHERS! WHERE ARE YOU KEEPING THEM!? TELL ME! WHERE'S MY SON, I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU DID ANYTHING---"</p>
<p>"Already did all we can do, bud!" Tull howled with laughter. "Now, you two gonna take one of these pills or what?"</p>
<p>"Krag--- Krag, stop---" Titania reached her fingers out, trying to take his hand. The most she could do was brush her fingertips against his. "Hey. This is it, okay? It's us. It's just you and me. Stay with me, okay?"</p>
<p>"No, no no no, it can't---" Krag's fury melted into devastation, sobs shaking his shoulders, his antennas dropping flat against the back of his head. "Everyone--- everything's gone, I--- I just---"</p>
<p>"Tick tock, bugs, I ain't got all day," Tull jeered.</p>
<p>Titania met Krag’s eyes firmly, trying to keep her own panic under control. "It's just us. It's just you and me. Breathe. I'm with you."</p>
<p>Krag's breaths were ragged, but he gave a shaky nod, choking out another sob. He was here with her, even if he couldn't manage words anymore.</p>
<p>"I love you, Krag," Titania murmured. "We'll--- we'll be okay." It was a lie. But he needed it.</p>
<p>With a sharp breath and a nod, he finally extended his own fingers to link with hers.</p>
<p>"Can we get on with this?" Tull groaned. "I gotta take you back to your enclosure, and I still got paperwork to fill out! Just take one and get it over with. Jeez."</p>
<p>Titania glared. "Oh, fuck you, you know?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah, 'go to hell, bastard' and all that good stuff," Tull rolled her eyes. "Take it and get marching."</p>
<p>"The least you can do is let us have a little time," Titania snipped. Nothing to lose, nothing to gain.</p>
<p>"You'll get all the time in the world in there, trust me," Tull remarked. At last, she undid their bindings so that they could accept the pills that would determine their fates.</p>
<p>Titania sighed, and looked back at the pills. "You wanna pick first?"</p>
<p>Krag hesitated, but swallowed, taking one of the pills, accepting a glass of water Doc gave him and passing it to Titania when she took hers.</p>
<p>"About time! Good god," Tull muttered. "Now move your butts!"</p>
<p>Urging the two along, they were ushered in a winding hall, with large rooms sealed by glass panels separating them with metal grates along the bottom. Within each room was a single alien, each one unique, some of them scurrying to the side to watch them go by, many howling with fury, others simply sulking. The interior for each cell was different--- a mock-up of their home-planet, it seemed.</p>
<p>The one the two were stopped at was very much the same: teal grass, reed-flowers, and a pair of crooked purple trees from which two hammocks were suspended. They even made the grate at the bottom of the enclosure out of the red metal commonly used in Irken architecture. It would be a thoughtful touch, were it not for such a cruel purpose.</p>
<p>"In ya go, bugs," Tull urged them in, closing the door behind them. "Go ahead and get cozy, food'll be around by the night. Have fun!"</p>
<p>With that, she disappeared, and Krag sat on the lowest hammock, burying his face in his hands. "...I can't--- I can't believe everyone's gone. The whole... the entire fucking planet, just--- just gone..."</p>
<p>Titania joined him, sitting carefully so as not to up-end the hammock, holding him close in a sideways hug. "They do this a lot, it seems."</p>
<p>Krag gave a sullen nod. "The one beside us is empty... looks like they're gonna do it again soon, too. ...They--- they killed my boy, Titania. They got Lonn. Why couldn't it have been... me, instead? Why couldn't they have kept him alive? He was just a baby... he didn't do anything to deserve this."</p>
<p>"I know," Titania murmured. "They don't care..." She sighed, inspecting Krag’s small wound. "Your poor antenna..."</p>
<p>"It's giving me the headache of the century," Krag muttered. "It’s fine. It’ll grow back… Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?"</p>
<p>"Not yet." Titania went limp. "...Collectors. Unbelievable."</p>
<p>"They kill entire species to make them valuable," Krag mumbled. "It's--- sick. It's the most vile thing I could think of."</p>
<p>"And stupid to boot," Titania muttered.</p>
<p>"It must work, if they've got this many different kinds," Krag frowned, standing to look out of the glass. There were small holes in the glass, just large enough to hook his fingers into and stick them out of the cage. "Look at all of them. It's... it's abhorrent. They're all the last of their species, every last one of them."</p>
<p>“Mmm.” Titania looked around, wanting to feel sorry for them, but honestly, she just felt... numb.</p>
<p>"...I--- I'm tired," Krag murmured. "We should... try to rest. I know that's--- that's easier said than done, but--- I--- I don't know if I have anything to talk about right now. I'm sorry. I think... I just need to not think for a while."</p>
<p>"No, you're right. Me too," Titania agreed. "...Can I share the bed with you?"</p>
<p>"Of course," Krag replied quietly, joining her again. "I'm sure Oron could've told you if he was here, but--- if I wind up falling asleep, as a fair warning, I snore. So badly."</p>
<p>Titania snickered. "I know, Krag. I don’t think Oron would have become lifemates with you if he couldn’t talk a <i>little</i> bit of shit about you."</p>
<p>"As long as you know," Krag managed a weak laugh, and with some effort, managed to get them both into the hammock, holding onto Titania softly. It was nice to have another Irken with him, so as he zoned out to let his racing mind take the wheel, he could pretend that, perhaps, even for a moment, things were normal.</p>
<p>Titania tried to do the same, but honestly, she ended up getting caught up in her losses. Her partners. Her mother. Her siblings. All just... gone. How was she supposed to deal with that?</p>
<p>Hours passed in silence, the only sounds being the occasional footsteps of workers on the ship, or a cry from a recently-contained alien, a mournful sound that was heart-wrenching all on it's own. </p>
<p>"Rrrrk," Came the strange sound from Krag after a while, though. A jerk. A buzz of his wings. A wheeze. His hold on Titania tightening. Shaking through his whole body.</p>
<p>Something was not right, and it seemed to be declining very quickly.</p>
<p>Immediately, Titania jolted awake. "Krag?!"</p>
<p>There came no response, but the shaking intensified, and his grasp tightened, his claws detaching from her with a thrash and curling into his palms, blood seeping out where the hard impact came. </p>
<p>One look at his face showed dilated pupils, flicking antennae, a fear shoved behind the movements. </p>
<p>The neurotoxin had taken hold, and was pulling the life out of him, one nerve ending at a time.</p>
<p>"Krag--- No no no, Krag, you have to come back," Titania begged, shaking him. "Krag you have to come back. Please. Please. Krag, don't leave me alone! Please!"</p>
<p>His hands snapped up to her arms, grabbing her tightly, and for a moment, his pupils even were able to flicker in the direction of her face. After a moment, though, his hands fell limp. The only movement was twitching antennas and wings that buzzed too loudly, but even those started to slow. He was slipping away, no matter how hard he tried to cling to life, and the sounds of death caused the enclosures around them to erupt into chaos.</p>
<p>Titania didn't even think. She didn't think about how heartless her captors were, she just held Krag close and screamed at the top of her lungs for anyone who would hear or listen. "HELP!"</p>
<p>It didn't take long for two armored guards to rush down the halls at the commotion, one opening the door and the other getting into the enclosure, checking Krag's pulse, before speaking into a headset on their ear. "Prepare the medbay, we've got an I-E-35. I repeat, I-E-35."</p>
<p>The second the transmission was done, they moved, trying to hoist the mostly-limp Irken out of Titania's arms. "Let go, Irken, if you don't let him go, he's going to die here, do you hear me?"</p>
<p>Titania nodded, releasing him gently, shaking.</p>
<p>Without another word, the guard rushed off, the other sealing the door once again and leaving with them. </p>
<p>Hours passed. The other enclosures quieted. Food came for them, only one serving to Titania's enclosure. </p>
<p>"He's not coming back," Remarked the denizen of the cell to the left, able to be seen through the glass panel, a large, armored creature with curled horns. "They put him down, hun. I seen it before. Might as well eat your dinner and stop watching that hallway."</p>
<p>Titania couldn’t be bothered to glance up at the creature, continuing to stare. "I know," she muttered.</p>
<p>"Tull does that on purpose," He murmured. "You want to know the fucked up truth of that little trick?"</p>
<p>"What?" she asked quietly.</p>
<p>"They're all sugar pills. She gave him a shot right after they decided you were the one to keep."</p>
<p>Titania just stared blankly down the hall, numb expression not even flickering with a reaction.. "Of course she did," she sneered.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry. I didn't want to be the one to break the news to you, but I've seen people in here kill themselves with guilt, thinking they picked wrong and got their friend killed," He muttered. "...Name's Byrn. The last Hounarian. Heard you were Irken?"</p>
<p>"Yes," Titania said quietly. "My name is Titania."</p>
<p>"Got it," Byrn murmured. "Lemme know if you need anything. Don't got much, but I'll give it if I can."</p>
<p>Titania scoffed. "Maybe I <i>should</i> kill myself, just so Tull can't have me."</p>
<p>"That's the fun part," Byrn muttered sarcastically. "They got unbelievable life support in there. They'll bring you back over and over again. You see that guy across the way? ...Six times. He stopped at six."</p>
<p>"What a pain in the ass," Titania muttered bitterly.</p>
<p>Byrn snorted at that, a ghost of a smile on his broad face. "You're a funny one."</p>
<p>"I try," Titania said, sighing. "At least I got to spend a little more time with Krag."</p>
<p>"Mhm. That's all you can ask for with these bastards," Byrn gave a sigh of his own. "At least the food's not shit. We get pretty decent eats in here. You gotta have something to look forward to when you hit rock bottom."</p>
<p>"Oh, I have something to look forward to," Titania muttered. "They picked the wrong fucking Irken."</p>
<p>"Can't wait to see that," Byrn snickered. "If you punch Tull in the teeth, I'll pay you in half my dinner."</p>
<p>Titania let out a short laugh. "No need. It's a reward in its own right."</p>
<p>"I'll just owe ya one," Byrn chuckled gruffly. "Well, I'm gonna eat and go my ass to sleep. Knock on the glass if ya need anything, Titan."</p>
<p>"Okay," Titania agreed, continuing to stare down the hallway.</p>
<p>She knew Krag wasn't coming back.</p>
<p>She wasn't waiting for him anymore.</p>
<p>The only people for the longest time that'd come down the halls were the occasional guard, as well as floor-workers who collected the dishes from the collection. </p>
<p>Eventually, though, one familiar face did come down the hall.</p>
<p>Not a good one, by any means.</p>
<p>"It's lights out, beasties!" Tull's voice came from the end of the halls, and at some columns in the hall, she opened a panel, turning out a section of cells at the time. "Some of you have circadian rhythms, and I'm not gettin' chewed out again by you tryin' to stay up until you die! Do that on your own time!"</p>
<p>"We don't have our own time anymore," Titania snipped.</p>
<p>"Semantics," Tull jeered. "Go the hell to bed, bug."</p>
<p>"Irkens sleep once a month, moron."</p>
<p>"Then sit there. I don't care, sweet cheeks, I just work here."</p>
<p>"Shove it up your ugly ass."</p>
<p>"You bitter about losing your boy, huh?"</p>
<p>"Nope." Titania stared at her blankly. "Just getting my jollies."</p>
<p>"Hm. Gotta make more of an effort not to catch freaks," Tull muttered. "Well, I got work to do. Don't wait up for me, honey."</p>
<p>"Oh I'll wait for you all night, baby," Titania said, her tone turning crassly flirtatious.</p>
<p>"Oh-hoh, wow. Nasty thing, this one," Tull jeered, turning to leave. "Night, nasty critter. I got work to do."</p>
<p>"You could have stopped talking to me whenever you wanted," Titania said, snorting.</p>
<p>"Mmmhm, and I'm stopping now," Tull rolled her eyes, stopping and turning off the last section of cell's lights and muttering to herself. "Ugh. Things in that sector never shut the hell up. Don't know why Aestiv keeps going back there..."</p>
<p>"Blah, blah, blah. Dumb bitch. Just leave, don't stand there talking," Titania grumbled. She didn't move, continuing to stare off down the hall, her antennae pricked for sounds. She was going to make herself a living nightmare, effective immediately, and she had already made plans as to how.</p>
<p>Tull let out a scoff, shaking her head and continuing her grumbling, but with all the lights out, she was finally ready to leave. </p>
<p>As the ship finally became still, though, and the stationary guards at either end of the hall were set, instead of the silence that usually came from the darkened rooms, there was a shuffling. </p>
<p>Then there was a clicking of claws on tile from something unseen, and more shuffling. This time, in the soft grass of Titania's enclosure. </p>
<p>"Psssst." A hushed, feminine voice came from towards the back of the enclosure, and if one looked, dark, wide eyes could be seen, but nothing else. "I heard you giving Tull a hard time. I wanna help."</p>
<p>"I'm going to continue giving Tull a hard time until I die," Titania remarked. "Help would be good."</p>
<p>With a grin of short fangs against the backdrop of the enclosure, the shape of whoever had entered in Titania's cell finally shimmered back into shape. The owner of the voice was a thin, long, and absurdly tall mammalian creature, with pointed ears, white fur, and braided locks of longer hair. </p>
<p>"I'm Seelie," The cell-intruder spoke, upbeat but hushed so she wouldn't get busted by guards. "Last of the Valelians. And you are excellent."</p>
<p>"I'm Titania," she said. "...The last Irken.</p>
<p>"It's nice to meet you," Seelie smiled, stealing the extra hammock Titania had for the moment and draping herself over it. "I'm the only one who can get out of the bars because they didn't think I could fit through tiny spaces, so I just take food and stuff, because I am... too much of a coward to actually do anything else. So if you need anything, I'm your girl."</p>
<p>"Information," Titania said. "It took me about two seconds to figure out that their boss or king or whoever checks in on them. I want to know every name and every thing they do wrong. Every time they break policy. Every time they lollygag or waste company time. Every time they gossip. Every time they scratch their asses, I wanna know about it. So I can make sure the guy in charge knows about it."</p>
<p>"Ooooh, that's such a good idea," Seelie grinned wickedly. "I bet you I can lurk around the break room and hear some gossip. They're usually too busy grumbling to hear anything good in here, but the break room? That's where the gold is."</p>
<p>Titania cracked a smile. "I like you."</p>
<p>"Aw, thanks!" Seelie beamed. "It's nice to have somebody in here who wants to talk. Nobody else usually does, and... honestly, I've been in here so long, I've worn out my sad and I'm just really, really bored."</p>
<p>“It’s a waste of time to keep being sad,” Titania muttered. “The best thing I can do is… try to avenge my people, however I can. And if that means annoying the sweet, everloving shit out of these bastards until all their heads explode, then I personally can’t think of a better way to spend my excess of free time.”</p>
<p>"Perfect," Seelie snickered. "I'm on board. You got any help I can offer, anytime. I wanna see these guys have a hard time for once in their lives."</p>
<p>"...I thought about killing myself at first," Titania mused. "Not because I want to, really, but just so they couldn’t have me, you know? But Byrn says they'll just keep you alive."</p>
<p>"Yeah, that's what makes a lot of people just get sad and... lay there," Seelie admitted. "Like my other-wall neighbor. He's... just been laying there for almost a whole year now."</p>
<p>"God. These people are disgusting," Titania grumbled.</p>
<p>"Yeah," Seelie sighed quietly. "But...! Maybe people will join in. I don't think anybody else thought that if they started raising hell, that anyone would join in."</p>
<p>"Oh, I was fully prepared to raise hell all by my lonesome, so I'm happy to lead the charge," Titania replied, chuckling.</p>
<p>"I know Byrn's probably been looking for a good excuse to," Seelie joked. "I overhear him giving the guards shit all the time."</p>
<p>"An alliance has been forged, then," Titania agreed, smiling. "...Are you nocturnal?"</p>
<p>"Yep!" Seelie replied brightly. "Our planet was mostly dark all the time, so whenever the lights go out, I'm up. Oh--- are you diurnal? I'm really sorry if you are, I can go back to my own enclosure."</p>
<p>Titania offered a tired smile."I sleep once a month."</p>
<p>"Woah, what? Seriously?"</p>
<p>"I can sleep more often if I'm tired from working, need to kill time, or sad," Titania explained. "Or if I just want to. But generally Irkens only really need between ten and twenty hours of sleep per month."</p>
<p>"Oh, weird! You insectoid species are always so interesting," Seelie remarked fondly. "Well, if you want me out of your hair. ...Antennas? Anyways. If you ever want me to leave, I can, you just gotta let me know."</p>
<p>"Antennae is the plural," Titania corrected, persnickety about that.</p>
<p>"Antennae, got it," Seelie gave an understanding nod. "Well, point still stands!"</p>
<p>"Eh. No need to rush out. I don't mind being alone, but I don't prefer it."</p>
<p>"That's dangerous, you're gonna get stuck with having me around all the time, you know," Seelie teased.</p>
<p>"I..." Titania looked away. "I come from a very... social, tight-knit species."</p>
<p>"...Oh," Seelie blinked. After a moment, she slid off the hammock she was on, coming to sit close. "Me... too, actually. That's, uh. Hahah, part of why I've been unreasonably excited about talking."</p>
<p>"What were your people like?" Titania asked quietly.</p>
<p>"Very high-energy. We were the only sapient species on the planet, and we had really close-knit family and friend groups," Seelie explained. "A big community. Plus, my planet was snowy, so it had practical reasons, too, but we were barely ever alone. Even if we were just laying around quietly in the same room, we were always together in the room, you know?"</p>
<p>"We were much the same," Titania explained. "We lived in big colonies. Like clans or tribes."</p>
<p>"It's funny how similar things between two total planets can be, huh?" Seelie remarked. "One things for sure, this place was... not made for people with societies like ours. It's... kind of soul-crushingly lonely."</p>
<p>"No kidding," Titania grumbled. "Plus, we are both just too pretty to be hanging out in a place like this. What a drag, am I right?"</p>
<p>"Ugh, I know!" Seelie lamented overdramatically, flopping onto her back with a little fwumph against the grass. "That's why we gotta stick together! A 'pretty ladies stuck in a shitty situation' club, heehee."</p>
<p>"You gonna be able to hang out all night without getting in trouble?" Titania asked.</p>
<p>"Oh, yeah, for sure," Seelie grinned, sitting up on an elbow. "I can hear really well, and I just camouflage when I hear somebody coming, so they just think I'm talking from inside my cell. Cool, right?"</p>
<p>"Very, very cool," Titania said, grinning. "Want my dinner? I'm not hungry."</p>
<p>"You sure?" Seelie lifted her brows. "Are you not hungry, or is it not what you eat? I always thought it was a stupid idea to give everybody the same food. Different dietary needs for different planets, duh, c'mon."</p>
<p>"I feel like I'm gonna throw up, to be honest."</p>
<p>"Wellll in that case, lemme get this out of your way. Don't gotta ask me twice."</p>
<p>"Thank you," Titania said, sighing. "Just looking at that plate was making me sick."</p>
<p>"Mm, g'ad I can hehp!" Seelie remarked, having already shoved some of the vegetables in her mouth, swallowing before speaking again. "My people had an eating schedule of one big meal, and basically snacks all day, so only eating like twice has been the worst."</p>
<p>"We don't eat that much," Titania said, snickering. "I eat about as much as I sleep, so feel free."</p>
<p>"Irkens are so weird!" Seelie enthused, smiling brightly. "You're really neat, Titania."</p>
<p>Titania laughed quietly. "You too."</p>
<p>"...Thanks for talking to me," Seelie murmured, a little more sentimental. "I really appreciate it. I was kind of hoping they were just gonna kill me for my pelt soon, so I didn't go stir-crazy in my cage."</p>
<p>"Well you better not get killed," Titania said. "I need you."</p>
<p>Seelie seemed a bit dazzled by the compliment, laughing nervously. "I won't! And the same goes for you too, y'know. You're tall and scary, so I doubt they will, but don't let anybody get ideas about killing you either!"</p>
<p>"Hahaha, they can't kill me hand to hand.  They were cheating with those cannon things," Titania teased. "If it were hand to hand, I'd snap all their stupid necks."</p>
<p>"Ugh, what I wouldn't give to see that," Seelie half-joked.</p>
<p>"Hmph. Maybe someday. Maybe I'll figure a way out of this hell place, and figure out how to kill them all," Titania mused.</p>
<p>"Maybe! You better take me with you, though," Seelie teased, posing in a comically elegant way. "You'll be the queen of the galaxy, and I'll be your beautiful trophy wife! Sounds like a perfect set-up to me."</p>
<p>Titania blinked. "What's a wife?"</p>
<p>"Oh. Pffffbt, it's like, a partner, but a trophy wife is just somebody you spend you're life with 'cause they're pretty," Seelie gave an embarrassed laugh.</p>
<p>"A mate just because they're pretty?" Titania laughed. "Seems weird, but not too farfetched."</p>
<p>"Not many of my people did it, but planets we trade with did! I've heard of it!" Seelie snickered. "And that's what I'm here for, for you! I get to be pretty and you get to destroy these guys. It's a win-win!"</p>
<p>"Oh, yes, perfect," Titania teased.</p>
<p>"Great! It's a deal!" Seelie teased back.</p>
<p>"Does that mean I can make out with you?" Titania said, raising a brow.</p>
<p>Seelie laughed again, her ears tilting out to the sides. "Uh, duh. I'm not just pretty for show!"</p>
<p>"Hey, you can be pretty just for show if you want. I don't own you."</p>
<p>"But what good is it to have a beautiful retribution-giving warrior wife if I'm just for show?"</p>
<p>"I'm just saying, that's up to you," Titania joked.</p>
<p>"Well, I'm saying that I'd be a lunatic to not be made out with by someone like you, so that's that," Seelie joked back, flashing a grin.</p>
<p>"There we have it, then," Titania said, smirking.</p>
<p>"Yep! A match made in the heavens," Seelie snickered, face very red under all her fur.</p>
<p>"Aww, you're blushing for real!" Titania laughed, mussing Seelie's hair. "You're so cute."</p>
<p>"What? I am not!" Seelie protested, laughing at the mussing of her hair. "But yes, I am adorable, thank you. Even if you're clearly mistaken."</p>
<p>"You're all pink!" Titania teased.</p>
<p>"Whuh?" Seelie glanced down to her cheeks, letting out a groan and flopping back on the floor. "Nooo, my stupid fur didn't cover it up! Thanks for nothing, biology! But, listen, in my defense, you're pretty, and I'm a simple Valelian, I see a pretty woman, and I fall apart. It's just who I am as a person. Also, I've got this memo right here that says you legally have to be super nice to me."</p>
<p>"This ship is lawless and so am I," Titania said, smiling. "...You're pretty too, though."</p>
<p>"I try!" Seelie beamed, trying her damndest not to be thoroughly, immeasurably embarrassed.</p>
<p>"Do you, like. Legit want to make out? Because I know we just met, but I have nothing better to do and you're very pretty and very funny."</p>
<p>"What? I mean. Pffffbtbt. If youuuu want to? I mean, I also have nothing better going on, and and considering that we're probably gonna be trapped in here for ages together, might as well pass the time, right?"</p>
<p>"It's a yes or no question."</p>
<p>"Yes. Absolutely."</p>
<p>"Okay, that's what I needed," Titania teased, laying on the floor beside her and pulling her into a kiss.</p>
<p>"Alright, alright!" Seelie laughed, but was silenced immediately by the kiss, her pointed ears folding back and her eyes slipping closed, kissing back without even so much as a moment of second thought.</p>
<p>Titania kissed her deeply, running a hand down her back, then faltered, and pulled away suddenly. "...Sorry."</p>
<p>Seelie blinked, a little overwhelmed. It was so intense for just one moment, before it was gone in the blink of an eye. "It's--- okay! Was that weird? I'm so sorry."</p>
<p>"No, no, you're good, I just---" Titania sighed. "...It feels like cheating. My mates are dead, but... I guess it didn't sink in."</p>
<p>"Hey, that's okay, I--- dealt with the same thing when I first got here," Seelie assured her quietly. "...Wanna just snuggle up and talk about what home was like for a while? I'm soft and I make a pretty decent pillow."</p>
<p>"Sure." Feeling strange and hollow, Titania moved to the hammock, leaving room for Seelie.</p>
<p>Seelie joined her, settling in gently, hoping that her being soft and warm would offer any degree of reassurance. After a moment, she spoke up softly, gazing up idly at the ceiling. "So... what was your planet like? If you don't mind me asking. It seems like it was pretty, if how they decorated in here is anything to go off of."</p>
<p>"Oh yeah. The teal grass, the blue reed-flowers... all of it is just like home. Big wide purple sky... it was mostly fields and plains," Titania murmured.</p>
<p>"That sounds beautiful," Seelie replied quietly. "What kind of area did you live in?"</p>
<p>"A little town," Titania said. "My colony. I was an apprentice to a bioengineer, working in genetic engineering mostly. We were pretty technologically advanced."</p>
<p>"Wow, that's... really impressive, dang," Seelie murmured. "I didn't have anything nearly as interesting going on. I was a gardener for my town's herbs and stuff, and I made jewelry and tapestries for fun in my free time."</p>
<p>"Ohh, you're a creative type," Titania teased. "That's pretty fun."</p>
<p>"Yeah, but it doesn't have the bragging power of being a bioengineer," Seelie teased back. "A scientist, and an impressive one too! I'm so lucky."</p>
<p>"I try," Titania said. "We were working on using livestock cloning and genetic engineering to resolve some food shortage issues we had going on. We didn't even eat that much, but we were having serious problems feeding everyone. It was bad."</p>
<p>"Oh, jeez, that is bad," Seelie frowned. "Were there just too many of you, or just not enough of the right food? I've heard of both those sorts of things being a problem."</p>
<p>"The food wasn't being produced quickly enough," Titania explained. "So we were working on ways to increase livestock reproduction rates and size."</p>
<p>"That makes sense," Seelie gave a hum of understanding. "What did you do before you started being a bioengineer?"</p>
<p>"Pretty much just that. I knew I wanted to be a scientist since I was a kid. I was... considered a bit of a prodigy actually," Titania explained.</p>
<p>"You know, you have that kind of energy! Probably too smart for your own good when you were a kid, right?" Seelie teased softly.</p>
<p>"Something like that." She laughed. "...I had two partners. The first was Bombur. He was such a sweetheart, he was just--- the warmest person you'd ever meet. He was chubby and friendly and he loved food. Honey, especially. He was a brilliant singer, as well. He also worked in technology, he was… a software developer. Artificial intelligence. He has a knack for giving AIs a personal touch. Making them kind. And then the other was Fila. She was whip-smart and wouldn't put up with any bullshit. She was a city guard and she could kick so much ass. Honestly, she could lay me out. It was super hot. But she was gentler with me and Bombur than she was with other people. The way she spoke to us, you could tell right away that we were special to her."</p>
<p>"They sound like they were... genuinely perfect, lovely people," Seelie smiled, a little sadder. "...My old partner was Willim, but I called her Willie, or just... Silly, haha. We shared a loft that we built up in a tree. She was a hunter--- she was deadly when she wanted to be, and did it for a job, but she was really... soft, and so friendly when she wasn't working, and she could turn it off like a switch. I... feel like you two would've gotten along really well. She had a similar sense of humor."</p>
<p>"She sounds a lot like Fila," Titania remarked, smiling fondly. "Was she like, a bangin' super-hottie?"</p>
<p>"Oh, you know it," Seelie grinned. "It sounds like we both have great taste."</p>
<p>"Hehehe. Seems so." Titania continued smiling for a moment, then grew wistful. "I... I'll miss them. A lot."</p>
<p>"I know I still miss Willim," Seelie murmured. "It hurts to have somebody taken away from you so quickly like that, and... it's not exactly like this place gives you a way to mourn and move on. I think that's the worst part of it."</p>
<p>Titania nodded. "I didn't see them die and I just--- got here, you know? My brain is still convinced they're at home waiting for me. Like one day I’ll go back to Irk and they’ll still be there, pissed at me for disappearing for so long."</p>
<p>"That's the hardest part," Seelie offered Titania a sad smile. "Well, if--- there's anything I can do to help at all with the mourning process, just ask, okay? I... had to deal with it on my own, and if I can help somebody else not go through that, I want to."</p>
<p>"I think I just am gonna need a little time," Titania replied. "...But talking helps."</p>
<p>"Well, lucky for you, my mom used to say that the one thing school couldn't teach me was how to stop talking," Seelie joked quietly.</p>
<p>Titania laughed quietly. "God, you're so sweet. I... I don't even..." </p>
<p>Suddenly, the weight of everything hit her all at once. Her partners were dead. Her family was dead. Krag was dead. Everything she had ever known was completely and utterly over and her life would never go back to the way it was. Her entire world had, in a matter of minutes, irrevocably changed for the worse. Titania’s breath hitched. She raised her hands to her face, gently pressing the balls of her hands into her lower set of eyes. But it did nothing to hold back the oncoming flood. She took a deep breath, and when she let it go, it came out as a sob. </p>
<p>Titania could not remember the last time she had cried.</p>
<p>Seelie's smile dropped immediately, and without a moment to wait, she put her arms around Titania, holding her as reassuringly as she can. She didn't even have to ask--- she knew that look. Going on two years ago, she'd had a collapse just like this, right after she got in, and all she could do was try to comfort her as best she could.</p>
<p>"They're all gone, I--- Why... why am I here? Why me? Couldn't have been--- anyone else? Couldn't anyone else have---- why am I left all alone to suffer like this?" Titania wept, murmuring her lamentations to Seelie softly.</p>
<p>"It's not fair," Seelie whispered, giving Titania a small squeeze. "It's--- not fair that you had your life ripped away from you to be a trophy for some sick bastard. You don't deserve this. No one deserves this. I'm--- I'm not gonna let you suffer alone, though, okay? I'm here with you. We're gonna make it through this--- somehow. I don't know how, but we will, I promise."</p>
<p>Titania wrenched a sob, inhaling deeply. "I hate them. <i>I hate them."</i></p>
<p>"They don't deserve any mercy from whoever's strong enough to finally get rid of them," Seelie murmured, bitter. "To hell with them."</p>
<p>“...You’re right,” Titania murmured, her grief rather abruptly melting away to give way to a cold, deep-seated rage. “You’re right. They don’t. They deserve nothing but the same fire and blood that they rained down upon the heads of <i>billions</i> of innocent creatures across the universe. And I will find a way to deliver it. I don’t know how. But I will, even if it kills me.” By the end of her rambling, she was shaking. Her back arched. She seemed very nearly unhinged. “They picked the wrong. Fucking. Irken.”</p>
<p>Seelie paused, the fury more intense than any of the grief she'd been able to work through, but she pulled back to meet Titania's gaze. Instead of discouraging her or expressing concern, though, she gave her a nod, looking thoroughly serious. Titania's fury was contagious; before, she'd been too scared to try to act against them, but now, her confidence was renewed tenfold. "I'll help you see it happen in any way I can. They've done enough, and now they're going to pay for what they've done."</p>
<p>Titania's eyes searched Seelie's, her gaze intense with anger and ambition. She analyzed Seelie, wanting to see her intensity matched.</p>
<p>It was.</p>
<p>Titania pulled her into another kiss, this one fierce and heated.</p>
<p>With a short breath escaping her, Seelie returned it with just as much fervor as it was given with, holding onto Titania like she'd fall off the world if she even began to let go.</p>
<p>She didn't know how they were going to manage it, but with tenacity like that, Seelie knew full and well that Titania was right in everything she said.</p>
<p>They were going to get out, and they were going to take these people down.</p>
<p>Titania released Seelie after a moment, sighing. She looked a little awkward as she started to calm down. "...Sorry for getting so, ah. Riled up. That was kind of a lot."</p>
<p>"It's--- okay!" Seelie floundered a bit, smiling awkwardly, trying not to look blown away by the whole thing. "I mean--- it's justified anger, and, y'know, it's--- I meant what I said, and I just--- yeah. You know?"</p>
<p>"...Kiss was kinda hot, though."</p>
<p>"Oh, god, it was so hot."</p>
<p>Titania laughed. "I'm still kinda working through some stuff, but... be patient with me. I do really like you."</p>
<p>"I understand, and--- I'm not going anywhere, so," Seelie joked sheepishly.</p>
<p>"Good," Titania replied.</p>
<p>The two of them chatted softly long into the night before daytime began, and Seelie went back to her own enclosure to sleep. </p>
<p>The following weeks were spent putting their plot into motion. Between Seelie's ability to sneak out and Titania's exceptional hearing, they were able to garner a ton of information on guards, medics, and especially Tull herself. Soon, it would be time for the man in charge to pay a visit. All Titania needed to do was get his attention.</p>
<p>"Today's the day!" Seelie whispered through the wall, still in her own enclosure, a fanged grin spread across her face. "Do you have it under control? I'd offer to help, and I'm totally gonna be listening, but they know I'm nocturnal, and I don't want it to be suspicious."</p>
<p>"I have it, don't worry," Titania assured her. "Just lay low."</p>
<p>"Can do," Seelie agreed, moving to her bed. "Whistle for me if you need me to cause a distraction or something if it goes bad!"</p>
<p>"I got it, I got it," Titania said, sitting eagerly at the front of her enclosure.</p>
<p>It didn't take too long for ruckus to pick up at the end of the hall, and before long, the Dread-King Aestiv appeared. He was similar to the other reptilian aliens, but significantly larger, with an armored carapace, and decorative armor atop of that. </p>
<p>He was silent as he stepped through the halls, but took a moment to observe each enclosure, most of the residents of each one shrinking away from the glass, not willing to make too much eye contact.</p>
<p>Titania, however, stood as close to the glass as she could, wearing the biggest, smuggest grin she could manage.</p>
<p>The sight gave Aestiv pause, his brow ridges crumpling in confusion. After a moment, he spoke, his voice deep and rocky. "...You there. Irken. You look as though you've got something to say."</p>
<p>"I do! Thank you for noticing!" Titania grinned wider, showing her teeth. "Do you have a moment?"</p>
<p>"Hm." Aestiv seemed to consider it for a moment, before turning to fully face the enclosure. "I do. You are the first in much time to want to speak with me directly from the other side of the glass, so I will hear what you have to say."</p>
<p>"As you can see, I have very, very little to do," Titania began, gesturing to her insanely dull enclosure. "So, I have taken it upon myself to familiarize myself with your staff and watch them for my entertainment. And in doing so I have discovered that many of them are not using their time and resources--- or shall I say, <i>your</i> time and resources--- in adherence with your standards."</p>
<p>"Is that so?" Aestiv lifted his brows, looking frustrated, but mutedly so. Without a doubt, though, it was clear Titania hooked him. "Do you have any examples of this, then?"</p>
<p>"Oh yes." Titania nodded. "Samhil, the head guard, regularly steals from the vending machines by shaking them, and Deita, one of the medics, caught onto this and has been fraternizing with him, flirting with him so that she can beg him for free snacks. You'll notice an uptick in tickets issued to the administrative office about the vending machine missing an item in the first and second slot or taking money but not dispensing food that starts about two weeks back. Additionally, the lead medic, called Doc, is a hopeless womanizer. Guards, medics, administrative staff, specimens, you name it. He'll try to flirt with anything female and sapient. And don't even get me started on Tull. She's had such a history you probably do not even have time to hear it."</p>
<p>Aestiv listened quietly and attentively, looking as though he was jotting mental notes the entire time. The guards that stuck nearby looked thoroughly uncomfortable at the information being given, but couldn't say anything--- the king was right there, after all. </p>
<p>After a moment, he spoke. "Guards."</p>
<p>"Yes, sire?"</p>
<p>"Bring me a chair and cancel my council meeting. And a notepad, if you will."</p>
<p>"I--- y-yes, Your Highness, right away."</p>
<p>"Thank you, Your Highness, for making time for me," Titania said, bowing graciously.</p>
<p>"Thank you, Irken, for coming forward with the shortcomings of my staff, when everyone else seems to have contented themselves with piss-poor work," Aestiv muttered. "I will be checking the legitimacy of these claims, of course, but if there are results, I will be certain to reward you for your information."</p>
<p>"Of course! I would hardly expect you to simply take my word for it," Titania said. "Now, about Tull."</p>
<p>"Yes," Aestiv agreed, taking the chair brought to him, and sitting, folding his hands in his lap. "Tell me all that you know."</p>
<p>"Well, to start with, she has quite a bit of trouble keeping her breaks timely," Titania began. "I've seen her take forty-five minutes on a fifteen more than once in a single week, and I once saw her take a two and a half hour lunch. And that's just been in the time that I've been here."</p>
<p>Aestiv took a note of that, scrawling out some words in a foreign language on the paper. "I see. Considering that I've spoken with her about this before, this is exceptionally frustrating to hear, to put it lightly."</p>
<p>"She also has a habit of wasting company time on being overly hostile with specimens," Titania explained. "I know that the employee handbook states that specimens should not be overstimulated, physically or emotionally. I know from my own experience that she brought a second Irken aboard and poisoned him with a slow-acting neurotoxin just to get a rise out of me, and according to other sources, this behavior is not only consistent, but regularly drives specimens to try and commit suicide, wasting the time and resources of your medical team on avoidable medical incidents."</p>
<p>That actually had Aestiv pause, a scowl rising to his face. That one clearly struck a nerve. "I told her to stop doing that, and I had assumed since I heard nothing contrary, and only got reports of one of each species being brought aboard, she did. I am a fool for assuming the best of my employees, it seems."</p>
<p>"Oh, please don't take it out on the other staff, though," Titania said, feigning compassion. "She bullies them into keeping quiet about her bad habits, that is why none of them have reported her. She threatens them with physical harm and emotional torment."</p>
<p>"Is that so?" Aestiv frowned deeply, his muted, professional exterior still holding hints of sheer fury, taking a moment to write a note, one considerably longer than the others.</p>
<p>"It's true, I'm afraid. Those poor medics," Titania lamented. "And, you know, if the staff were just a little bit more compassionate with the specimens, many of them would be more active. I know that would help with sales. No one wants a miserable pet. But Tull has been such a terror on all of us that many of the specimens have become hopeless and spend their days lying around. I can guarantee you any troubles related to specimen well-being can be traced back to her."</p>
<p>"I see," Aestiv muttered. "These things do line up with what I've seen, yes. And it is noteworthy that there has not been a sale in some time. She has said that everything has been right, and that it's just the enclosures are smaller than their original habitats, but I see now that that's not true. Tell me, has the enrichment in your enclosures been adequate, as well? She is also the one who's supposed to make it so. But, I'm beginning to think that there isn't all too much I can trust her word on, these days."</p>
<p>"As you can see by the fact that I've devoted all of my time and energy to watching your staff so as not to go completely mad with boredom, enrichment probably is not up to par with what you expect," Titania replied, trying not to be profoundly amused by just how drawn in this idiot was. With skills in bullshitting like this, Titania could very well make a career of it.</p>
<p>"While I appreciate that you have this information, you are correct," Aestiv agreed. "It's not what I expect by any length of the imagination. For the pay she receives, I expect more than mediocre work and laziness."</p>
<p>"That specimen over there," Titania said, pointing to the one Byrn had mentioned, "has tried to commit suicide six times."</p>
<p>"Six times?" That gave Aestiv pause, looking shocked. "That was not put into any of the records I've seen."</p>
<p>"He gave up eventually, poor dear," Titania murmured. "Imagine if a customer got him and he died within a week from his own poor emotional well-being."</p>
<p>"You have a point," Aestiv muttered. "I will assign someone with more skill to evaluate your ecosystem and enrichment needs. Thank you for bringing this to my attention."</p>
<p>"It is my pleasure. It's so nice to hear that some improvements will be made. I would loathe to not be in fine form for a potential new owner," Titania schmoozed. He was too easy. "To end on a positive note, though, your kitchen staff is impeccable. While meal variance based on species might provide a bit more nutritional value, the quality of the food leaves nothing to be desired."</p>
<p>"At least there's something good of note. I'll be certain that the kitchen staff knows that their efforts are appreciated," Aestiv replied, standing up and passing the guards the chair and notepad. "You will see some changes within the week, if these people are capable of any sort of quality work. If not, you'll be seeing new faces. If you encounter any more issues, send a guard to retrieve me, since apparently there are a fair handful cannot be trusted to deliver the word honestly. It is a trifling inconvenience, but considering that you are the only other person aboard this ship concerned with the quality of their work, I intend to hear what you have to say if it becomes an issue again."</p>
<p>"Thank you, Your Highness, I am most honored by your concern," Titania replied. "My name is Titania, if it pleases you to know."</p>
<p>"Titania?" Aestiv lifted a brow, but nodded. "Noted. Be well, then, Titania. And, as a note, if Tull tries to give you any manner of trouble over the discussion I'll be having with her, do report that to me as well. But for now, I'll be off."</p>
<p>"Of course, Your Highness," Titania replied, bowing again.</p>
<p>As soon as he was gone, she shot Seelie a grin.</p>
<p>"That was crazy! What the fuck!" Seelie enthused, hopping up the second everyone was gone, and moving eagerly to the glass wall. "You're so good at that, what the hell?"</p>
<p>"You're welcome," she said, snickering.</p>
<p>"Thank you, you're amazing!" Seelie grinned. "I wonder what they're gonna do for extra enrichment? I hope I get something to make. Ughhhhh that would be so good. "</p>
<p>"That'd be fun, yeah," Titania said. "How you doin', Byrn? Did you catch any of that shitshow?"</p>
<p>"Caught every word of it!" Byrn laughed. "You're a professional smooth-talker, huh?"</p>
<p>"Yep! Sure am," Titania agreed, grinning wryly. "Better conditions for us, and a royal ass-kicking for Tull. It's a good day."</p>
<p>"It is a good day," Byrn agreed, reclining back on his curved shell. "Don't get much better than this. Seelie, think you can sneak out to hear her get torn into?"</p>
<p>"I probably could," Seelie grinned, mischievous. "You gonna pay me in food for it?"</p>
<p>"I always do, ya little monster!"</p>
<p>"Please, I'm begging you," Titania added, laughing.</p>
<p>"I'm on it!" With a laugh, Seelie shimmered out of existence, and with some clinking against the bars of her enclosure, she slipped out, the only sign of her departure being the sound of shuffling fading out of the hall.</p>
<p>She'd never been to the throne-room before, but with only a bit of wandering through the halls, she found it, able to slink off to the side and listen attentively. It seemed like Aestiv had already called Tull in the room, and the way she stood spoke volumes of her anxiety, which was more than vindicating for Seelie to see. </p>
<p>"But--- listen, Your Highness," Tull tried to reason, clearly already having begun to get chewed out. "Those claims are baseless! Ask anybody who knows me, they'll tell you---"</p>
<p>"That you've threatened them for silence," Aestiv hissed. "I know. I already have asked. And you know by now that behavior like this isn't acceptable."</p>
<p>"I've been working with what I've got! Give me a break!" Tull groaned. </p>
<p>"You have absolutely not been, and as such, you have to operate on the same timeclock system the medics do," Aestiv sneered, before he let out a heavy sigh. "You're a hellian. I don't know what to do with you. This is the fifth time this year that I've had a feeling you weren't doing your job, and the fact that my source told me as much as they did only confirms those suspicions."</p>
<p>"I do my job! We got five new species in the last three months!"</p>
<p>"Yes, and four of them have tried to commit suicide already."</p>
<p>"I mean, that's kind of just what they do."</p>
<p>"You're suspended."</p>
<p>"I'm--- what!?"</p>
<p>"For your incompetence, you're to aid the secretarial staff for two weeks, and once that time is up, you'll be reevaluated. If you did a passable job, I'll consider putting you on closing."</p>
<p>"You can't be serious!"</p>
<p>"I can be. You're lucky I don't send you home."</p>
<p>"But---!" </p>
<p>"ENOUGH. You're lucky enough I don't tell your father what you've done with his shining recommendation. You should be grateful you even <i>have</i> a job, considering the counts of illegal bounty hunting on your record. Now, do something useful, if you're able, and get me Samhil, Doccern, and Deita. I need to have words with them."</p>
<p>Scurrying out before Tull made a move to leave, Seelie booked it back for her cell, wriggling inside it and, the second she'd reappeared, she was absolutely beaming, looking thoroughly blown away. "OH MY GOD, YOU GUYS, SHE GOT TORN A WHOLE NEW ONE. That. Was. So good."</p>
<p>"Yeeees. YEEEES." Titania grinned. "This is great. Okay, okay, simmer down, she's gonna come down the hall in a sec."</p>
<p>Seelie gave a hurried nod, hopping back to her bed and curling up in one fluid movement as the sounds of boots hitting the floor came through, with a fuming Tull appearing down the hall, headed back to her quarters.</p>
<p>"Hi, sweet cheeks," Titania teased as she came through. "Had enough of me yet?"</p>
<p>Tull paused, blinking, before scowling Titania's way, her anger tripled. "It was you, wasn't it?"</p>
<p>"You know, I had a feeling the Dread-King was going to keep me anonymous to avoid retaliation, and I do appreciate the concern, but I don't think that there's anything you could do to me to make this less fun," Titania said coolly, inspecting her claws. "Plus, the guards are supposed to push forward any reports I make about you directly to the top. King's orders."</p>
<p>"I could fucking snap your neck, oh my god," Tull hissed. "I should have known that it would be you. We should've kept the weepy one."</p>
<p>"Yeah, probably," Titania remarked. "You know, if you talk a big game like you do? The quality of your work should probably reflect what you say. It's a little pathetic that you can't do your job right."</p>
<p>"Oh, shut the fuck up, bug," Tull sneered, moving to leave. "I don't need to deal with this right now."</p>
<p>When she turned to leave, though, on the opposite end of the hall, a three-fingered hand caught her boot-clad ankle, yanking back when she moved to step forward, sending her toppling to the floor.</p>
<p>Enraged, Tull snapped her head back to get a look at the culprit, finding that the hand belonged to the bipedal, furry, mammalian creature at the far side of the enclosure hall. Usually, this individual was the one who spent most of his time lying hopelessly on the floor and wishing he were dead, but in a surprising act of rebellion, he’d reached through the bars of the metal grate at the base of the glass and snatched Tull’s ankle. Cackling hoarsely, he drew his hand back in before Tull could even scramble to her feet, but that didn’t stop her from letting out a fierce groan and kicking the bars as hard as she could. Furious and fed up with being laughed at, Tull stormed off down the hall to her chambers, leaving the enclosure room devoid of staff once more. The unlikely prankster let out one more dry, tired laugh.</p>
<p>Titania laughed as well. "Nice one," she said.</p>
<p>The alien let out a huff of air, a ghost of a smile rising to his face, before he turned back over, lying back on his side. That was enough excitement for now, it seemed.</p>
<p>"Hey, man," Titania murmured. "I'm proud of you. Hang in there."</p>
<p>There wasn't much of a response, as it tended to be with him, but a deep breath was taken, some tension dropping out of both sets of shoulders he had. She was heard, and very clearly acknowledged, even if he wasn't ready to budge again. </p>
<p>"Wow, that is... the first time I've seen him move in a long time," Seelie murmured, a little stunned. "You're really firing people up in here."</p>
<p>Titania nodded, watching him for a moment. "It's fucked up. It's not fair. ...I've gotta do something more."</p>
<p>"What're you planning? Byrn asked, sitting a little upright. "Whatever it is, I'm interested."</p>
<p>"I dunno yet, but... I think we should try to get everyone out," Titania replied.</p>
<p>"A break out?" Byrn blinked, lifting his brows. After a moment of thought, though, he gave a nod of agreement. "...You're right. I don't know how we're gonna do it, but we should try."</p>
<p>"For now, we keep torturing the guards. The best thing we can do for ourselves is make it very clear we're not afraid of them," Titania said, speaking louder. She wanted the whole room to hear her. "We're not just specimens. We're people. We are <i>people,</i> dammit. And we're stronger together. We're gonna turn this zoo into a fucking circus."</p>
<p>At that point, she'd gotten a fair bit of attention from other enclosures, bright eyes and confused gazes from varying creatures locked onto her. Murmurs of agreement, muffled questions to one another. </p>
<p>"Who's with us!" Seelie called, standing to her full height. </p>
<p>"...I am," Came the croak of a voice from the man across the hall, having peeled himself up in a sitting position. "If I'm going to die, I'm... going to stop making it easy for them."</p>
<p>Titania blinked in surprise, not expecting any more movement from him that day, much less words. "What's your name, my friend?"</p>
<p>"...I don't remember. But... I was of the Alazen people."</p>
<p>"Then let Alazen be your name," Titania replied. "Let your people be remembered through you."</p>
<p>He seemed to consider that for a moment, before giving a nod. "...Then I am Alazen. And I will... do anything to help you all make these people as miserable as they've made us."</p>
<p>"Let's ruin them," Titania said, grinning wickedly.</p>
<p>The next few months were the best the space station's involuntary residents had ever seen. Guards were bitten whenever they touched someone without permission. Staff had their faces spat in anytime they were rude. Reports of poor behavior were sent to Titania by the dozen, meaning that every time the king came to visit, every movement of his staff had been tracked. The work environment became oppressive, and many guards and medics alike quit and were replaced by warier faces with gentler hands. Enrichment improved--- the residents (not “specimens”, <i>residents)</i> were allowed to have books, puzzles, crafts, and even sets of cards for solitaire. Some of them even invented games that took two decks of playing cards so they could play together in separate enclosures. And best of all, Tull was universally reviled and given shit by the residents no matter what she did. And Titania delighted in making fun of her every time she was in the room.</p>
<p>It was just after dinner when lights-out came, and as always, there came the scuffling of Seelie sneaking into Titania's enclosure--- this time, though, there was a new sound intermingled with it. Some sort of jingling, and a light clanging when the sound of her shuffle to squeeze through the bars came. </p>
<p>When she reappeared, though, she'd reached into the pouch on her body, flashing Titania a grin and showing what was distinctly something they weren't allowed to have. </p>
<p>A set of guard's keys.</p>
<p>"You'll never guess what I found today," Seelie teased, tossing it over Titania's way. "One of the stupid old-guard who's too stubborn to leave left these on a break-room table. That's one more down when word gets out about this!"</p>
<p>"Hey, hey!" Titania grinned. "Should we let everyone out for the night?"</p>
<p>"Oh-hoh, my god, that would be amazing," Seelie's face lit up, grinning widely. "I am gonna wreck so much stuff, you have no idea."</p>
<p>"Let's fuck it up," Titania said, getting up from where she was reading.</p>
<p>"Are we gonna be able to wake Byrn up?" Seelie asked, keeping up with her as she went to the barred door. "You know how hard he sleeps."</p>
<p>"Ehh, we can try." Titania reached through the bars, unlocking her own enclosure. "HAHHAHA LOOK AT <i>THAT.</i> Who else wants out? Let's party."</p>
<p>The hall was suddenly very alive with movement. No one was foolish enough to cheer--- they'd get their cover blown--- but there were many hands waving out of their own bars, signaling her feverishly. They absolutely wanted out.</p>
<p>"Byrn, wake up, you old coot!" Seelie urged him while Titania started letting people out, tapping her claws on the bars loudly. "We got keys, and we're going crazy tonight! Get out here!"</p>
<p>"Mmmmmngh," Byrn grumbled, not yet coming at all out of his shell. "What're you talkin' about...?"</p>
<p>"We got keys, ya geezer!" Titania stopped by his enclosure, letting him out, before moving on to another. "We're gonna partyyyyy."</p>
<p>"Keys?" That had Byrn stick his head out of his shell, his eyes widening when he saw the door to his enclosure open, and he was immediately on his feet. "Holy shit. You weren't kidding! What the hell! Where'd you get those?"</p>
<p>"Seelie found 'em. They got left behind by some idiot guard."</p>
<p>"God damn. Tonight's gonna be fun, ladies!"</p>
<p>"Sure is!" Titania opened Alazen's enclosure. "Hey. You don't have to come out if you aren't feeling up to it. But it might be nice to have the door open."</p>
<p>Alazen blinked, sitting up from where he'd been lying down, almost looking awestruck at the open door. "I--- thank--- thank you. I'll... I'll think on it. But it's nice to have the option."</p>
<p>"Nice to finally meet you up close, by the way," she added, smiling and offering a handshake.</p>
<p>Alazen hesitated, but stood to his full size, his legs shaky from disuse, but shook her hand, looking thoroughly overwhelmed at even the simple touch. It made his skin crawl, but he almost wanted to cling to it. Touch deprivation was an evil, evil thing that he was clearly grappling with. "It's--- nice to meet you, too. Not across the room, anyways. ...You said you all were going to--- have a party?"</p>
<p>"Yep! We're gonna play games and break stuff, I think. Might see if I can't get people singing around time for guard wake-up," Titania said, laughing. "Should be interesting."</p>
<p>"I... I think I want to join in," Alazen murmured. "I've stayed in that cage too long to--- just pass up an opportunity to get out."</p>
<p>"Glad to hear it!" Titania grinned. "What do you wanna do first?"</p>
<p>"I'll just--- follow along for a while," Alazen replied. "I need to get used to walking again, so--- I'm not sure what I'd want to do."</p>
<p>"Alright, well, I'm gonna go see what Seelie's up to. You can come with me if you want," Titania offered.</p>
<p>He gave a hesitant nod, and with the wall held to balance himself, he stepped out of the enclosure, the cold metal floor almost jarring him to stay inside, but he persisted. </p>
<p>"Would you look at that," Byrn murmured, lifting his brows, and grinning lightly. "This is gonna be the best night for us, and the worst night these bastards will ever have!"</p>
<p>The residents took the opportunity to have as much fun as they could. They raided the kitchen, broke expensive equipment, played games, and just spent time together. However, unfortunately for Titania's plans, by the end of the night, most of the diurnal residents were exhausted, and the lot of them just ended up in a big pile on the floor, sleeping together and enjoying the touch of another living creature.</p>
<p>With Byrn wedged in the pile, many residents piled onto his strong shell, and the other nocturnal ones playing cards with one-another, the party had wound down quietly, instead of with the roar that they'd intended. </p>
<p>Off to the side of the room where Titania was, Seelie returned after a moment of absence, having brought some sort of soft honey-baked treat she scavenged out of one of the fridges, passing it to Titania and sitting, before leaning against her gently, unable to help but smile. "...It didn't get as crazy as we thought it did, but--- it was worth it. They seemed like they really needed this. ...You did a really good thing tonight, Titania."</p>
<p>Titania gladly scarfed down the treat, having been craving honey for weeks. "Hey, you helped," she managed after she swallowed.</p>
<p>"I know, but you've got this presence, I could've never rallied everybody together like that," Seelie replied fondly. "By the way, there's like three more of those in the fridge, and they're all yours. They had Junnion's name on them, so make sure to absolutely go hog wild on them."</p>
<p>"Oh, don't mind if I do," Titania teased. "...Thank you, though. For all your help. Without you, I'm all talk."</p>
<p>"Hey, anytime," Seelie smiled gently. "You've helped me a lot, too, so I'm just glad I can return the favor."</p>
<p>Titania paused. "So hey. I have an idea."</p>
<p>"What's your idea?" Seelie asked, lifting an interested brow while she munched at her pastry.</p>
<p>"I think I want to try to genetically engineer myself some new Irkens," she said. "And build an army."</p>
<p>"Holy shit," Seelie murmured, looking surprised. "I didn't think about the fact that you're a geneticist. You could totally do that."</p>
<p>"They probably won't be quite right, given that... I don't really have much to work with besides my own DNA," Titania mused. "But I could make something similar to me. And I could make a shitload of them. And set everyone free. Just… kill everyone on this awful ship and take everyone somewhere safe.”</p>
<p>"If you wanted to get really crazy, I could give you some of my DNA for your soldiers," Seelie offered with a snicker, lifting her upper lip and gesturing to her fangs. "These? Are so venomous. We're super venomous. That could probably be handy, right?"</p>
<p>"Oooh," Titania cooed. "That's a great idea. I'll have to take you up on that if I get the chance."</p>
<p>"Hell yeah," Seelie grinned, letting out a content sigh. "This has been the best night ever. It honestly couldn't get any better than this."</p>
<p>Titania sighed softly, pressing a kiss to the top of Seelie's head. "We did good."</p>
<p>Seelie smiled warmly, her ears spreading out in a hilarious motion to accept the kiss, as if making room on the top of her head. "Think we should get by the pile so we don't look suspicious?"</p>
<p>"Good plan," Titania agreed.</p>
<p>Moving over to the pile, Seelie curled up, leaving space for Titania to lay on her like a living body pillow. It didn't take long for the guards to come out, too, and once they spotted all the destruction and the group, the full-force of the guards came, ushering all the inhabitants back into their enclosures and trying to deal with damage control, winding up with one less guard, since the negligent staff member who left out the keys was immediately fired.</p>
<p>Another few months passed with routine, and for a while, life almost settled into a constant that would've only been bettered by them being free. Everyone had grown close; even with the distance between the enclosures, they'd formed a small community with one-another.</p>
<p>Today was the only variant from the usual schedule, due to it being enclosure maintenance day. They were taken one at a time for check-ups as workers tidied the enclosures and checked on the plants to make sure they were thriving, before they were returned to it.</p>
<p>As lights out came, though, something was off.</p>
<p>And Tull came in, stopping at Titania's cage with a menacing grin. </p>
<p>"No lights out for you today, sweetheart," Tull jeered, tossing cuffs into the room. "Put these on. Your goin' somewhere special, and we got no time to waste."</p>
<p>"Where're you taking her?" Byrn asked, gruff and venomous towards Tull.</p>
<p>"None of your business, you big ol' lummox," Tull scowled. "C'mon, bug. Get moving."</p>
<p>"Ooh, is it time for our wedding already, Tull?" Titania teased, making it loud and clear that she didn't give a shit. She stood and put one cuff on. "You'll have to do the other one. I'm just too dumb, I don't know."</p>
<p>"Cute," Tull rolled her eyes, opening the cell, and cuffing Titania's hands behind her back. "I'm not humoring this shit anymore. March, Irken. To the left end of the hall."</p>
<p>"Aww, are you tired of me? Boo." Titania jeered. "I'll have to be more interesting." She moved, but dawdled, trying to annoy Tull into pushing her.</p>
<p>It didn't take much, and Tull gave her a shove, leading her down the quiet halls of the space station. </p>
<p>"Well, you're gettin' what you want, bug," Tull muttered. "You're getting the fuck outta here. I found a nice little backwater planet to let you die on. A nice little retirement in a shithole picked just for you."</p>
<p>Titania perked up at that. "Wait, what?"</p>
<p>"You deaf? I'm kicking you out," Tull grumbled. "Would just drop you out of the airlock, but it’s too risky. Your body would float by, knowing my luck, and I'd get busted."</p>
<p>Titania panicked a moment, worrying about her friends, but then paused, considering this. "...Perfect."</p>
<p>"By the way, I got more good news," Tull snickered, malicious. "Your little girlfriend got bought up today. Some real woodsy looking folks from a nearby sector. How about that, huh? And here I thought we were going to get stuck with all you idiots forever. We get rid of two in the same day!"</p>
<p>"...Seelie got bought?" Titania actually sounded a bit concerned by that. What would happen to her? Where would she go? What did those customers want her for? "At least she won't be worried about me, then."</p>
<p>"Nah. Easier that way. I've got a bet running with some guys that we're gonna see a real high-class celebrity with a shiny white coat," Tull remarked. "I got 20 monies riding on that."</p>
<p>"You'll lose," Titania murmured. "You'll lose in every way possible. You're just playing into my plan, you know. It will cost you."</p>
<p>"Oh, is that so?" Tull sneered. "What's your master plan then, huh?"</p>
<p>"I'm not telling you. I'm not a fantasy supervillain who gives away the answer and gives you a chance to stop it," Titania jeered. "But I will tell you this. I'm gonna kill you."</p>
<p>"Uh-huh, sure," Tull rolled her eyes. "Well, here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna put you in one of these escape pods, punch in some coordinates, and get you the fuck out of my face. How about that?"</p>
<p>"Sounds great, moron," Titania sneered.</p>
<p>"Alright!" Tull opened the door to the pod bay, making a grand gesture. "Here you are, bug! Get in. Now."</p>
<p>"Bye!" Titania grinned, stepping in. "See you soon, darling."</p>
<p>"Go to hell, Irken!" Tull chimed, and closed the door. When it sealed, there were some sounds of keypresses, and the escape pod closed, dislodged, and fired up.</p>
<p>In a matter of moments, it launched, careening into the vastness of space, far from the space station on it's voyage.</p>
<p>The escape pod landed in the middle of a sprawling woodland area, high in a range of beautiful mountains. The planet was lush, seeming coated with greenery. The tall, green, cone shaped  trees, which were oddly covered in some sort of needle as opposed to leaves, seemed largely unaffected by her landing, although the woodland creatures seemed deeply upset.</p>
<p>Sorry, native fauna. It was time to get to work.</p>
<p>As soon as she landed,Titania began searching the landscape discreetly, not sure which species here were sapient and how kindly they would take to off-worlders. For the most part, though, this just seemed to be wilderness--- an endless expanse of trees that were a few feet taller than she was, littered with skittish animals that were mostly mammals and birds. When she reached the base of the nearby mountain range, however, she was able to find a cool, dry cave that made for a perfect little base of operations. She dragged her escape pod inside and began ripping it apart to repurpose it, using its severed thrusters as a makeshift blowtorch and welding together what she needed.</p>
<p>Using small insects from this planet, some hair stolen from one of the local bipeds, and her own blood, Titania did exactly what she had planned. She genetically engineered her first pseudo-Irken. </p>
<p>The creature was <i>very</i> short lived, but that was fine. She’d planned for that, having crafted a cybernetic brain of sorts for the prototype, making the creature nigh-unkillable provided that Titania could keep churning out clones and replacing the body. This even gave Titania the ability to have her prototype compare and contrast body types as she developed and evolved.</p>
<p>The prototype became her assistant, and her stalwart, loyal companion. She named this first new Irken “Akotch.”</p>
<p>Eventually, Titania and Akotch were able to extract additional metals and fuel components from the Earth, allowing them to build larger, more advanced cloning apparatuses, more cybernetic brains, and eventually another ship, strong enough to carry them home. They created a small crew of additional pseudo-Irkens--- Zok, Sklozad, and Horvitz--- and prepared to leave the planet.</p>
<p>It took a few years, but finally, it was time to go home.</p>
<p>Titania took her creations back to Irk. Although the organic sweep had destroyed most of the fauna, it had left the buildings entirely unaffected, so it was easy for Titania to return to the lab where she had worked all those years ago and continue her work. Now that she had the appropriate technology, it was much easier to craft her perfect army of little monsters. And they were only getting stronger, smarter, and greater in number.</p>
<p>Perhaps she could do more than simply taking out the Kurlean Armada.</p>
<p>Six years had passed when finally a loud security breach siren went off on the Kurlean flagship. They were being boarded.</p>
<p>"What is the meaning of this!?" Aestiv barked, sending guards to the wing that the alert had initially come from, rising from his throne. It had been a long time since the Kurlean flagship had visitors, much less an intrusion.</p>
<p>"Sire, it's---" One of the pilots stumbled, trying to check the security feeds. "They're so small and fast, we can't--- make out what they are!"</p>
<p>"USELESS!" Aestiv boomed, taking a heavy war-axe from the wall above his throne, moving out of the room. "GET OUT OF MY WAY, I'LL HANDLE THIS MYSELF!"</p>
<p>When Aestiv arrived in the docking station, though, it had already long since been overrun with tiny green people, wielding spears and laser pistols, suspended on mechanical spider legs. Hundreds of them, crawling all over the walls, exploding out of the rounded red ship which had boarded them. They were fast as lightning, surrounding Aestiv in mere seconds, blocking his entrance. "FREEZE!" shouted a larger one. "In the name of Her Almighty Tallness, Irken Prime!"</p>
<p>"Irken!?" Aestiv snarled. "What is the meaning of this!? All Irkens were DEAD!"</p>
<p>"We live," the large one said. "You're looking at us. And you will atone for your crimes against our progenitors."</p>
<p>Finally, tiny new Irkens stopped pouring out of the ship, and out stepped Titania, wearing a magenta bodysuit and tall black boots, carrying a massive spear.</p>
<p>"HAIL HER ALMIGHTY TALLNESS," boomed the crowd. "QUEEN TITANIA, IRKEN PRIME!"</p>
<p>"Ti---" Aestiv murmured, lowering his axe from where he'd posed to swing it at the tiny soldiers. "Titania? But--- they said that you'd died, how---"</p>
<p>"You should have rid yourself of Tull while you had the chance," Titania said coldly. "She sent me to a dirty little planet in an escape pod. Not knowing that I was a geneticist and bioengineer. I rebuilt my planet. And now, Aestiv, my darling. I am going to give you and yours a taste of your own medicine."</p>
<p>Titania snapped her fingers. The Irkens surrounded the Dread-King, binding him with tight steel cabling.</p>
<p>"UNHAND ME!" Aestiv thrashed, trying to move away from the small Irkens, but even despite his physical advantage, the sheer number of them gave him little room to budge. "GUARDS! GUARDS!"</p>
<p>It was far too late. As the Irkens dragged him into the hall, guards and medics were screaming as they were overrun with tiny bodies, gunned down or skewered. It was bloody carnage. "Yes, this is much like how Irk looked the day the Kurlean Armada darked our doorstep. Does it look as pretty on your people as it did on mine?" Titania asked, her tone cruel.</p>
<p>No amount of wrestling against his binds freed him, and all he could do was watch in horror as the massacre took place, his stern face pale and mortified. </p>
<p>"Please---" Aestiv begged, trying to thrash again, desperate. "Slaughter my ship! Fine! Get your retribution! But our planet--- our planet has had nothing to do with this! Leave it be!"</p>
<p>"Beg for them," Titania said softly. "Beg me to spare them. Grovel. Tell me how dearly you love your people. Make me believe you."</p>
<p>"I have done everything I have for my whole life for my people," Aestiv insisted, panicked. As such a prideful man, he would have never stooped to this level, but with how quickly his ship was torn apart, he crumbled immediately. "I would sell my own head to ensure their safety! My people are the only thing that matters--- not status, not wealth, not power! I--- I beg of you, to have more mercy than I allowed for your people, and for the revenge to fall to those truly involved! I'll do anything you ask, just don't hurt them!"</p>
<p>Titania stared at him, her expression blank and stony. Finally, she nodded. "I believe you."</p>
<p>"You will--- you will spare my people?" Aestiv asked, desperate.</p>
<p>"No."</p>
<p>"Wh--- what? But you said---"</p>
<p>"I believe what you said. I truly believe that you would do anything to protect them. That you love your people and your planet and that you are willing to sacrifice yourself to save them. It’s very admirable. They die anyway. They all die and it will be a gruesome, cruel, wholesale slaughter and I will make certain that they know as they and all their children die slowly that it was your fault."</p>
<p>"W--- wait, no, no, please---"</p>
<p>"Fuck you, Aestiv," Titania replied. "My people were innocent, too, and you slaughtered them for MONEY. Do you think you have the right to ask me for ANYTHING?"</p>
<p>Just then, a little Irken came up and pricked him with a needle, injecting Aestiv with a clear fluid.</p>
<p>"Oh, good. You found the neurotoxin I asked for," Titania remarked. "Thank you, Sklozad."</p>
<p>"My pleasure, Your Greatness," the soldier replied.</p>
<p>"Neurotoxin!? Just be rid of me!" Aestiv barked, struggling against his binds. "YOUR POISONS ARE A COWARD'S TACTIC!"</p>
<p>"No. It's not a coward's tactic. It's your tactic." Titania glared coldly at him. "When I arrived here, there was one other living Irken. My dear friend, Krag. He was a father of a beautiful baby boy. And Tull poisoned him with that same toxin, tricked him into thinking he had a chance to live, and let him die quietly in my enclosure. I called out for help. Your medics took him and never said another word to me. Now, you will die as Krag did."</p>
<p>"Your Radiance, we've found the two individuals you requested," One soldier reported as they came in, standing at a salute. "The flagship has otherwise been emptied of all Kurleans."</p>
<p>"Good. Thank you, Zok." Titania gave Aestiv a swift kick, pushing him into the now-deserted docking station. "Die in the dark."</p>
<p>"No!" Aestiv thrashed, screaming after her. "NO! COME BACK AND KILL ME, YOU VILE ANIMAL! KILL ME!"</p>
<p>"Calling me an ANIMAL. And treating me like LIVESTOCK. Are not making a very good case for you," Titania snapped. "I have an idea. <i>You</i> be the animal. <i>You</i> be the miserable little pet that dies in a cage.”</p>
<p>"i'm going to die of poison anyways, you stupid beast!" Aestiv barked, laughing bitterly. "You can't leave me to wither away in a cage. You've already denied yourself that. And someday--- someday, you horrible little insect--- someone will put you back in one, because it's what you're destined for. Do you hear me!?"</p>
<p>"I'll deal with that. For now, I'm going to go gouge Tull's eyes out, so unless you want to come along and watch, you have fun dying here alone in the darkness," Titania said. "In about an hour, you should start to feel a little funny. Ta-ta."</p>
<p>With that, she flipped the lights off in the docking station and slammed shut the big chrome doors.</p>
<p>There were sounds of fury and sobbing within, as well as desperate movements, but in an hour's time, there was nothing but the shuffling on convulsing. Aestiv died in the dark, just as Krag did, but friendless and alone, the only mercy that he was afforded being the fact that he would not have to watch what Titania had in store for his people.</p>
<p>As Titania and her army made her way through the ship, however, from the end of the main hall leading to the enclosure room, came a loud, heavy crash that nearly rocked the whole vessel.</p>
<p>And another. </p>
<p>And another.</p>
<p>It sounded like something slamming against iron, as well as the bellowing of a gruff voice. </p>
<p>"I'M NOT GOIN' DOWN WITH THIS SHIP!" Byrn's voice boomed through the hall of enclosures, tucking his head in his shell and slamming it against the iron bars, even making successful dents in the shape of it. Several Irken soldiers scuttled devensively, but couldn't do anything around the bars, and scattered away when the bars of the enclosure fell with a final ram. </p>
<p>"Your Tallness, a beast is breaking free!" One soldier called desperately. "We weren't able to maintain the gates that held it in! What should our next course of action be!?"</p>
<p>"I know that voice," Titania said. "I shall handle it."</p>
<p>Titania stepped into the enclosure room, crossing her arms behind her back. "I think that's a bit hasty, Byrn, don't you?"</p>
<p>Byrn had just whipped around, snapping his powerful jars at a soldier to menace him away, but the familiar voice had him stop in his tracks, looking up immediately. He looked stunned for a moment, before he barked a laugh, and with the small distance closed, he stood on his hind legs and  scooped up the tall Irken into a too-tight hug. </p>
<p>"Look at you, you lunatic, you're alive! I knew you would be!" Byrn laughed. "I thought pirates got this ship and were gonna loot it n' sink it, but these are your critters!"</p>
<p>Titania grunted with the tightness, and laughed. "Yes, they're here to free you! You ingrate!"</p>
<p>"How was I supposed to know that? Give us a warning first, why don't ya!" Byrn grinned, setting her down. "I'm just glad none of 'em stayed too close, or I was gonna bite their heads off, you know!"</p>
<p>"It's alright, they're unkillable," Titania replied. "I just slap their little backpack on a new body. That's where their memories are."</p>
<p>"No kidding!" His brows lifted. "Well, glad to hear it! Need any help with all this?"</p>
<p>"Under control. If you could just help the others get out and head to the administrative office, I've had it cleared of... remains for you. Don't go to the docking station yet. Aestiv is probably still cooking in there for a bit longer."</p>
<p>"Aye aye, captain," Byrn agreed, unworried about what "still cooking" meant, and with a move to go over to the cabinets and a well placed kick, he was able to peel the door off it's hinges, grabbing a set of keys and freeing the residents of the enclosures. Before too long, all the sole survivors of their species were piling into the administrative office, confused, panicked, but more relieved than anything else. They were free--- didn't matter how, they were out, and that's all that mattered to them.</p>
<p>Titania turned to one of her soldiers. "Akotch, I need you to get a list of all the remaining residents. Take down their names and species."</p>
<p>"Yes, Your Radiance," the soldier agreed, heading into the office.</p>
<p>With that, Titania made her way to the operating room in the medical wing.</p>
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    <b>WARNING: The following scene contains extremely graphic scenes of violence that may be triggering to some readers. If tooth trauma, finger trauma, torture, throat-slitting, or detailed descriptions of genocide are triggering for you, please either read with EXTREME CAUTION or simply skip ahead by using Ctrl+F to search the phrase “Scene Recap”. There will be a brief, important-details-only recap at the end of this scene for those who cannot read it. Thank you for taking care of your safety! </b>
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</div>In the operating room, bound to the very cold, iron folding tables that they brought others to, Doc and Tull were bound, struggling against their binds. It had been a whirlwind, and they barely got time to understand what was happening, before they were strapped down, put in seated positions, and abandoned.<p>Tull had been the one facing the door when Titania stepped in, though, and her furious expression dropped to horror. </p>
<p>"It's you," she murmured, before snarling, yanking at her binds and trying to stand. "Why the FUCK are you still alive!?"</p>
<p>"Tull, do you remember the last thing I said to you before you put me in that escape pod?" Titania asked.</p>
<p>"Escape pod!?" Doc snapped, looking livid Tull's way. "What the FUCK were you thinking!?"</p>
<p>"That she would die on impact!" Tull barked.</p>
<p>Titania slammed her hands down on the table of instruments beside Tull. "Answer the fucking question, you insufferable cunt."</p>
<p>"That--- you had some kind of fucking plan, I dunno," Tull growled.</p>
<p>"No. What I said was," Titania murmured, leaning in to whisper to Tull, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "I'm gonna kill you."</p>
<p>Defiant, Tull spat in her face, snarling like a cornered animal.</p>
<p>Titania wiped it away, laughing. She wasn't even annoyed. In fact, she was hysterical. She laughed so hard she cried, slapping her hand on the table in pure amusement and delight, for an uncomfortably long time.</p>
<p>"What the fuck are you waiting for!?" Tull snapped, clearly panicked. "If you're going to kill me, stop waiting, fucking DO IT!"</p>
<p>"HAHAHAHA!" Titania cackled. "Oh, no, honey, I am gonna take my sweet time with you. I have <i>all fucking day</i> for you! While my army of billions of units swarms your stupid planet, and your coworkers lie rotting in the floors of your space station, and your king lies in the docking station with his brain melting out with the neurotoxin that you gave my friend, I have as long as I fucking want to play with you."</p>
<p>"Wh--- why am I here?" Doc asked, terrified, no longer thrashing against his binds.</p>
<p>"To watch," Titania replied. "You watched her do everything else she did. You watched her torture people day in and day out. And you said nothing. So you're gonna do what you do best, Doc, you're gonna watch her."</p>
<p>"I---" Doc looked like he was going to be sick, but swallowed thickly, sinking against his chair. </p>
<p>"You're just going to let this HAPPEN!?" Tull practically roared at him.</p>
<p>"There's nothing I can do," Doc muttered bitterly. "Just shut up and deal with it, Tull. We earned this."</p>
<p>"Good boy," Titania replied with a patronizing pat to Doc's head, taking a seat beside Tull. "Oh hey! Before we get started, there's a transmission screen in here. I need to send a transmission to your planet before too many people die. You get to model! But the moment you interrupt me, I cut your tongue out, so you had better be quiet while I'm speaking. Oh, and I did my research, so I'm making sure that your father has access to the transmission. In fact, he's probably a bit tied up with waiting for it right now!"</p>
<p>"Leave him alone!" Tull practically screamed with fury, thrashing again. "I'M GOING TO TEAR YOU APART THE SECOND I GET OUT OF THIS CHAIR, YOU HEAR ME!?"</p>
<p>"If you yell during this transmission," Titania repeated, ever so calm, "I will make him watch me cut your tongue out of your head. Do you understand? You have no more power."</p>
<p>Tull seethed, but said nothing else, looking like she was going to lunge any second. She didn't want her father to have to see that, though. She'd bide her time.</p>
<p>"Good girl." Titania flicked on the transmission screen. It displayed a massive screen, with cameras from all over the planet of Kurl. There was no destruction yet. Only numerous Irken ships, landed in the middle of streets, and Kurleans crowded around them trying to inspect the large objects that had come down from the sky to do seemingly nothing besides block traffic. However, when the screen began displaying, they all looked up to see what it could be about, immediately shocked and interested.</p>
<p>On one section of the screen, Tull's father was tied up and gagged, forced by three Irkens to look at the screen. His eyes widened when he saw who was sitting next to the massive alien who resembled his tiny captors, struggling a bit.</p>
<p>"Greetings, people of Kurl," Titania said. "For hundreds of years, your king has been a collector. What this means is that he goes to planets, and he wipes out every single member of the dominant species there, except one. This makes the remaining creature extremely valuable to other collectors, thus making that person worth a lot of money. And I do want to drive home that this is a <i>person.</i> Not an animal. Not a pet. A person."<br/>.<br/>"Six years ago today, your king picked the wrong planet."</p>
<p>"That planet was called Irk. The individual he left behind was me. I became the last of my kind for no reason other than profit, doomed to spend an entire year in a little glass box, tortured day in and day out by this darling individual here. Her name is Tull. Everyone be sure to thank her, and King Aestiv, for what is about to happen now. Because it is all completely their fault."</p>
<p>"I am a genetic engineer. I rebuilt my species from scraps of DNA. I raised an unkillable army of billions and billions of units, small, but fast, and armed to the teeth. I regret that those of you who are innocent will have to be held accountable for the crimes of your king, but know that all of you are complicit because your people profit from genocide every single day."</p>
<p>"My name is Titania, Queen of Irk, cand commander of the swift, mighty, merciless Irken army. And your planet will be the first new colony in the name that will soon be feared and loathed across the entire universe. Welcome... to the Irken Empire."</p>
<p>As soon as her speech ended, billions of Irkens with laser rifles exploded out of the ships that were parked in the streets. Cannons fired from the ships, levelling buildings. Blood pooled on the pavement. Screams filled the air from every single screen. On one screen, the Irkens holding Tull's father hostage slit his throat. In mere moments, nearly the entire species was wiped out for Tull and Doc to watch. Then, Titania cut the transmission.</p>
<p>There was frozen silence in the room, Tull looking like she was going to throw up, and Doc hyperventilating. Neither of them knew what to say. What could you say, when you just watched your entire species get eradicated before your very eyes?</p>
<p>"This," Titania said, practically snarling. "This is what your people did to mine. Every single one of your specimens represents a time when this happened at the hands of you and yours. Process that. Every single person you tortured, Tull, just got done seeing <i>that.</i> And you got your fucking jollies from that. What kind of person does that make you? Do you understand, Tull? Doc? Hmm? DO YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND NOW? <i>DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?!"</i></p>
<p>"I--- I'm sorry," Doc murmured, hoarse. "I'm so fucking sorry. I--- I never imagined being on the receiving end of it. I never imagined. I'm so fucking sorry."</p>
<p>"Shut up, Doc," Tull murmured sharply, but that was all she could manage. "Just--- shut up."</p>
<p>Titania approached Doc quietly, kneeling in front of him. "Thank you. You are the only person to say that to me. You will feel no pain." She rose. "Someone get him out here. Have him humanely euthanized."</p>
<p>"Yes, Your Greatness," One of the Irkens who'd lingered nearby moved over, releasing him from his binds. Even during the process of cuffing him, he didn't move to escape, nor did he try to resist. The haunted look on his face was a knowing one: he was complicit in this, and this was what happened when you didn't consider your actions well enough.</p>
<p>"So," Tull muttered. "It's just you and me."</p>
<p>"Just you and me, sweet cheeks," Titania teased, sitting and putting her chin in her hands. "You always were my favorite."</p>
<p>"Oh, I'm flattered," Tull teased back, sarcastic and bitter. "That sure does me good right now."</p>
<p>"Do you regret anything? Any of it at all?" she asked calmly.</p>
<p>"What fun would it be for you if I did?" Tull laughed, a dry, cold sound, her voice wavering for the first time anyone had ever heard. "You'd just get to put me down all easy like you did with Doc?"</p>
<p>"No. I really wouldn't. Nothing you could really say now would stop me from hating you as much as I do," Titania said calmly, as if this was just a casual conversation. "I know about your trick with the neurotoxin. You let Krag come back with me knowing he was going to die. He was so scared. You enjoyed that fear. And I just can't even begin to comprehend that. Like, what happened to you? I'm the way I am because you happened to me, but what happened to you? Are you just like a serial killer or something? Do you get off from it? Is it sexual? Or do you just want to see other people as miserable as you are?"</p>
<p>"You're seriously asking me about what made me like this?" Tull barked a laugh, leaning back into the seat. "How do you even care? Why? Is this gonna be part of your fun, picking into my head before the rest of me? You wanna know why I did that to your friend? 'Cause part of my job, whether His Highness wanted to admit it or not, was breaking you people. Turning you into sad little beasties. I worked in this line of business before, catching people, but this is worse work for better pay."</p>
<p>"That's so interesting," Titania said. "That's how you got to sleep at night, huh? You were just so good at your job, too, right? You certainly weren't having fun or anything, you were just doing your job, right?"</p>
<p>She stood with a sigh, picking up a pair of pliers off the table. One of the few things she didn't knock over. "...The organic sweep cannons reached full power a few minutes ago. How does it feel to be the last one?"</p>
<p>"Like nothing at all," Tull grinned, clearly slipping from reality a bit. "Like it didn't even happen. And, for the record? It <i>was</i> fun. Like playing with your food. I'd pay to get to hear you howl like your shitty little wings were getting ripped off when that crybaby you came in with kicked the bucket. It wasn't for fun before, but now that I know you? I'd do it again."</p>
<p>"Blah, blah, blah," Titania said blandly. "Dumb bitch." Tilting Tull's head back, she took the pliers in her hands and began ripping out random teeth. Clamp down, twist, yank. Clamp, twist, yank. Over, and over, and over, the expression on her face unchanging.</p>
<p>At first, Tull screamed. She tried to wrench her head back, to no avail.</p>
<p>But the more teeth that came out, her screams and sobs turned into wails and howling laughter, her grip on herself loosening more and more with every passing second.</p>
<p>Titania snickered. "Yeah, that's about right. I've been there, too."</p>
<p>"If I had more teeth, I'd bite your fucking fingers off!" Tull laughed, spitting blood in her face. "Stupid bitch!"</p>
<p>"Aww." Titania petted her patronizingly. "I understand. It's hard. Poor thing. But you did give me a good idea." </p>
<p>She turned back to the table, scrutinizing the other surgical tools before deciding on a nice, sharp blade. She took one of Tull's hands, placed it on the table, and pressed the knife into her fingers mid-bone. They made a sort of crunchy slicing sound. Like carrots.</p>
<p>Tull yelped, but her yelp turned into horrible slow laughter, her brain already having slowed nerve receptors due to the overwhelming pain. Blood oozed out of her mouth, no longer able to keep it completely shut, leaving her lolling her head back. "Ooooooh, hah hah you fucking rancid piece of shit. Burn in hell."</p>
<p>"Yes, keep talking. I'll do you a favor and let you die thinking you got the last word," Titania teased, and continued chopping.</p>
<p>"Just fffffucking kill me already, bug," Tull hissed, bleary. "I don't have any more fun reactions for you. Fuck off."</p>
<p>"No," Titania murmured. "I don't care how you react. I just want to watch your body fall apart."</p>
<p>"Have fun, then," Tull muttered. "I'm checkin' out. Like I said before, fuck off."</p>
<p>"Mmm." Titania hacked away, her brow furrowed with concentration as well as anger. She cut off all Tull's fingers. Gouged out her eyes. Ripped the fins off at her elbows, and broke every single one of her limbs in at least two places. Once she was thoroughly incapacitated, Titania unbound her, throwing her on the floor to stomp her ribcage into powder. By the end of it she was out of breath, waiting one more moment to settle down and take stock of her work while Tull was still just barely alive.</p>
<p>Tull's breathing was slow and labored, and it was only a moment of being gazed at before her chest stopped rising. The twitch of her tail ceased. No pulse was left--- her heart thoroughly stamped flat--- and she was gone.</p>
<p>The last of the Kurleans faded away without dignity, and their race was never to be heard of again, not even in the hushed whispers among the universe. Titania sighed. She'd been hoping to finish Tull by crushing her skull, but oh well. The Kurleans were extinct. She got what she wanted.</p>
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    <b>SCENE RECAP: For those who were unable to read the previous scene, I will be providing a brief recap of the events therein. Titania sent a mass transmission across the planet of Kurl, explaining to its denizens who she was, what she was about to do, and why, before wiping out all sentient life on the planet’s surface. Doc, fraught with remorse, apologized to Titana, and she had him euthanized humanely. Tull, however, fought back. The two argue a bit before Titania tortures Tull with as much bodily mutilation as she can manage before Tull eventually dies of her wounds, rendering the Kurlean species completely extinct. The Irken Empire gains its first colony. </b>
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</div>Cleaning herself up, Titania headed to the administrative office, where her former comrades were waiting to hear from her. She looked a bit exhausted, taking a seat. "Hello, everyone. Akotch, that list, my dear."<p>The Irken in the room handed her the list for her to peruse. She scanned it, looking for Alazen's name, then decided searching the room would take less brain power.</p>
<p>Fortunately, off to the side of the room in one of the office chairs sat Alazen, his demeanor looking... heavy. Listless. It seemed as though, since she left and things settled again, he'd lost the modicum of energy he'd been able to gather all those years ago.</p>
<p>"Alazen," she murmured, hoisting herself up again before falling to her knees beside him. "Alazen. I did it." So tired. She was so tired. She leaned her head against his leg, her face buried in the short ginger fur. "I did it. They're gone."</p>
<p>That had Alazen peel himself off the wall, at first surprised at the touch, but he settled. A moment of silence passed, before the feeling of a tough-skinned hand brushed over her head, and a smile--- a full one, even despite it's exhaustion it held--- was offered her way.</p>
<p>"...I knew you would," Alazen murmured. "I... heard when Tull took you. I heard every word of it. But I knew you wouldn't die out there. ...You came back for us."</p>
<p>Titania exhaled a breath. "I'm so sorry it took so long, my friend."</p>
<p>"Don't apologize," Alazen told her quietly. "You... did something amazing. More than any of us could do. And... this will never happen to anyone again. That's what matters."</p>
<p>"I'm just glad you're alright. I never stopped worrying, you know."</p>
<p>"They... wouldn't have let me go. Even if I tried," Alazen murmured. "...I'll spare you the details of--- the exact things that happened while you were gone. But... I'm here."</p>
<p>"That doesn't mean I wasn't worried," Titania grumbled. "But things will be alright now. ...My army has levelled the old planet of Kurl. It belongs to all of you, now. It's beautiful and full of food. My workers will be building homes for all of you to live in. You can start a village. Rename it. Start fresh. It's my gift."</p>
<p>"Where will you go?" Alazen asked softly. "You deserve... rest. After everything you've done."</p>
<p>"I will go home and hibernate, don't worry," she assured him. "And I will erase the memories of this event for all my soldiers, so that they will not be haunted by it. And then, I go look for Seelie, and begin building my empire."</p>
<p>He gave a small nod and shifted out of his chair and, in a gesture that was long lost from his people, pressed his forehead to her own, murmuring softly. "Come visit us. We're... your people now, and we will never forget what you've done for us, Titania."</p>
<p>"Your new planet is one of my colonies. It will be a second home to me," Titania promised, leaning into him gently. "And I will amass the power required to protect it. You are safe. I swear it."</p>
<p>"I owe you my life," Alazen murmured quietly. "If there is ever anything you need, please. I will be there for you as you were for me."</p>
<p>Titania pulled back to look at him. "I only need one thing from you."</p>
<p>"What is it?"</p>
<p>"Live," she said firmly, holding his hand. "Live and be happy."</p>
<p>"Then I will to my fullest," Alazen assured her, giving her hand a weak squeeze back. "I promise you this."</p>
<p>"Then I am rewarded for my efforts," Titania replied, smiling. "Ugh. I need a nap."</p>
<p>"Go steal the king's quarters," Byrn remarked, moving to give her a pat on the shoulder. "I'll wrangle any confused soldiers and move this bunch to get some dinner. You done enough, let me take over now, alright?"</p>
<p>"Ohh, Byrn, I do love you so," Titania said. "...I want you to govern the new planet."</p>
<p>Byrn blinked, letting out a surprised laugh. "You sure about that? I'm just a bastard with a bad attitude, you know."</p>
<p>"You were my right-hand man! Who else can I trust?" Titania smiled lightly. "If you really don't want to, I can find someone else."</p>
<p>"I'm just givin' you a hard time," Byrn teased. "I'll keep everybody taken care of for ya, you got my word. Been trying to this whole time, but now it'll be easier without those demons around."</p>
<p>"Thank you, Byrn. I truly do adore you, you ridiculous old man."</p>
<p>"Aww, stop, you're gonna make me soften up. That's not good for my image, ya know."</p>
<p>With a laugh, Titania patted Byrn’s shoulder, and made her way to the king’s chambers, enjoying the irony of partaking in the luxury obtained through her own suffering. She could get used to this. </p>
<p>Truly, the Kurlean invaders had picked the wrong Irken.</p>
<p>Soon, the whole universe would know.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Homecoming</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zim, Dib, and company return to Earth with some exciting news, and get some exciting news of their own.</p><p>(This chapter references a side story, The Reunion, which can be found in the Emergence series if you click the link.)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>HEY! BEFORE YOU READ THIS!!!</p><p>If you're reading this on the day it drops (Feb 9 2020) and are free around 10pm EST</p><p>I will be doing a live reading of the prologue on a temporary discord server. Here's the information: https://irken-scum.tumblr.com/post/190742686005 </p><p>Please join us if you have time! If you don't catch it live, it will also be recorded and available on my tumblr!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>Four thousand years later.</i>
</p><p>In the heart of the capital city of planet Irk, a black palace with a crooked spire loomed over a skyline of red buildings. The Citadel. A monstrous, gargantuan building, that for millennia has been host to the cruelest, most cut-throat political figures and warlords known throughout the universe.</p><p>Today, however, there was a party.</p><p>Members of the Irken coup and Vortian resistance had come together and, serving under Usurper Queen Tak, upended the reign of terror of Queen Titania. Now, it was time to celebrate, in preparation for the empire to get a fresh start under its beloved new ruler.</p><p>The sprawling banquet hall was packed with Irkens and Vortians alike, eating and drinking and sharing stories of their victories. And, at the center table, surrounded three rows of people deep, was one human girl.</p><p>"There I was," she said tensely, like a salty old sailor telling a tale of the sea, "three elite voot runners hot on my trail, leading me right up to the Massive itself. They had me cornered. Or so they thought. Right as they went to shoot at me, I perfectly executed the sickest barrel roll you've ever seen, taking out the center ship and causing the other two to shoot each other down. The fools. It takes more than that to down the notorious Gaz Membrane."</p><p>Her audience ooh'ed and aah'ed in approval.</p><p>"Man, I almost don't want to interrupt her," Dib muttered quietly, giving Zim a small nudge. "My first instinct as her brother is to say that probably didn't happen, but I literally just got engaged, I don't want to get murdered."</p><p>"Shut up Dib you weren't there," Gaz said. "You were inside the Massive, also being a badass, but like, skinnier and whinier. What's that about getting engaged?"</p><p>"Ugh, I hate that you hear everything," Dib groaned. "But, uh. I should tell you about that maybe after you've got a... little less of a crowd?"</p><p>"You're related to him?" One Vortian pilot remarked quietly. </p><p>"Yes! She is!" Dib scoffed. </p><p>"So is he like... your weird younger sibling?"</p><p>At that, Dib looked outraged. "I'm the older sibling!"</p><p>"Oof. That's rough. I'm sorry."</p><p>"Technically we're twins," Gaz pointed out. "I just hatched after him. We're half-Irken."</p><p>"Oh my god that's so cool," one Irken remarked. "I remember hearing about that."</p><p>"How does that work?" Another Irken asked, looking thoroughly puzzled. "I mean, smeets have to get developed, and then we're basically ready to go, but I don't know about humans..."</p><p>"Humans are gross. We get born live. So we were like little blobs of human inside of Irken eggs," Gaz said, intentionally being creepy about it. "We had to be incubated and then our Irken parent broke open the eggs when it was okay for us to come out."</p><p>The Irken made a face, quiet for a moment. "I'm, uhhh. Sorry. That's gross. But hey! It's cool now, and you guys never have to think about that again. Which is probably for the best. Eugh."</p><p>"Yeah it was disgusting," Gaz agreed. "I was there, man."</p><p>"You were aware of it?" The Irken looked mortified at that.</p><p>"Humans are born live," she reminded him. Nevermind she was too young to remember.</p><p>They shuddered, tossing a horrified look to the pilot beside them. The very idea was so awful, they didn't even have words for it.</p><p>"It just goes to show how awesome we are for enduring it," Gaz said, shrugging.</p><p>"That's true," a Vortian agreed. "That is pretty metal."</p><p>"What's metal?" A different Irken asked. </p><p>"Anyways!" Dib cut in with an awkward laugh. "Gaz, can I borrow you for a little bit?"</p><p>"Yeah, I guess," Gaz said, standing. "Later, guys."</p><p>"Bye, Gaz! See you around!" One called, the others waving as she left. Seems as though she'd gotten fairly popular in the short time she'd been around.</p><p>"I'm glad that you're okay, that's mostly what I was coming over to check on," Dib told her, offering a smile. "And you did awesome work out there, even if your might have been exaggerating juuust a little bit with that story. I feel like I would've heard about that sooner. But that's beside the point. How did stuff go?"</p><p>"Awesome. Killed a bunch of bad guys," Gaz said. "Vort is a cool place, too. Good bonding time with Dad. How bout you?"</p><p>"Well, I kind of wiped a guy from existence, and then I helped Dad put a Tallest that got split in half back together before I got pulled away by helping Tenn get people who came to our side out of the massive," Dib replied. "So, all-in-all, pretty wild!"</p><p>"Nice. I hear you stabbed a guy, Zim," Gaz noted.</p><p>"I did. It was amazing," Zim replied, casual.</p><p>"So, Dib, what's up with the ring?" Gaz raised a brow.</p><p>"Uhhh, well," Dib waffled a bit, grinning nervously. "I'm--- engaged now, actually?"</p><p>"That's gay." She looked to Zim. "You at least do something cute and memorable for the proposal?"</p><p>"Nope!"</p><p>"Figures." Gaz scoffed, a little smile on her face, and shook her head. "Well, congratulations."</p><p>"What's more memorable than just finishing a space war!" Dib gushed a bit, beaming. "And also, yes, I am gay. Thank you."</p><p>"You know? You're welcome." Gaz breathed a laugh through her nose. "Am I the first one you told?"</p><p>"Yeah, actually," Dib replied with a smile. "I mean, who else am I gonna tell first? You're my sister, obviously I'm gonna tell you first."</p><p>"Uh, Mom? Dad? But also you better have told me first," Gaz replied. "Also Zim asked me if he could so I knew about it already."</p><p>"Wait, what? You asked?" Dib tossed Zim a puzzled look. "How long have you been planning this?"</p><p>"Just since yesterday," Zim muttered. "I didn't want her to punch me so I asked if it was alright."</p><p>"She wouldn't have punched you for proposing to me. ...Would you?"</p><p>"Only if he was doing it for the wrong reasons or if I thought he was gonna hurt you," Gaz replied. "But he's okay I guess."</p><p>"Yeah, he's pretty alright," Dib joked, giving Zim a playful nudge. "I appreciate your support, though. It means a lot."</p><p>"Don't get mushy on me, dude," Gaz teased. "Know that as payment for this level of sibling support, it's your responsibility to hook me up with a hot monster girlfriend now."</p><p>"Obviously! I'll be on the hunt the second we get back," Dib snickered.</p><p>“Speaking of getting back,” Gaz mused, “we should head home soon.”</p><p>“Really?” Dib frowned. “I didn’t think Akotch was stable enough.”</p><p>“She really isn’t, but Tak’s gotta stay behind a few days to do political shit, so she told Dad to go ahead and head home with us, and she’ll come along later,” Gaz explained. “She’s apparently got some crazy project she’s working on.”</p><p>“Huh,” Dib mused, then shrugged. “Well, then, yeah, we should get the hell home. I desperately need some normal food.”</p><p>“Same,” Gaz agreed.</p><p>“You two are cowards,” Zim remarked.</p><p>And so, with a bit of compromise, the group agreed that they could stay and finish enjoying the feast, and then made their way back to the Mutineer, a small crop of voot runners in tow. Tak, Tenn, and Akotch remained behind for now, and former Tallests Rott and Mov remained on Irk as well, hoping to redeem themselves enough to join Tak’s Council of Tall Ones, since there were two freshly opened positions in the group, leaving the Membrane family to return with only three extra Irkens: Zim, Skoodge, and a now thoroughly retired Fugue.</p><p>The flight took a few hours, much of it filled with Gir’s obnoxious singing. Skoodge and Fugue, who were piloting their own runners, went straight back to the communal home Zim had established in their cul-de-sac, but those in the Mutineer stopped off at the Membrane household first. Weary and exhausted as they landed in the yard, the Mutineer’s passengers began unloading luggage from the flagship. They had just started the short walk across the grass when the sliding glass door of the kitchen loudly scooted open.</p><p>"SPACEMAN!" An unexpected, masculine voice erupted joyfully from the doors to the backyard, and an unfamiliar man with a pair of bulky headphones attached to nothing around his neck jogged across the lawn and threw his strong arms around Professor Membrane. "You're okay! You maniacs made it back safe!"</p><p>"Raoul!" Kurk laughed, accepting the hug. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>"Keeping me company!" Helena said, following him out. "The house was too empty! Gia is here too. Kids, have you gotten to meet your aunt and uncle yet?”</p><p>"No, we didn't get to yet!" Dib replied, bright and absolutely relieved to be out of the ship finally. “There’s been a lot going on.”</p><p>“Think nothing of it,” Raoul assured him, offering a handshake. Dib took it, and Raoul nearly yanked his arm off. “Raoul Vasquez. Pleasure to meet you.”</p><p>“Same to you!” Dib agreed, merry, despite the fun new pain in his shoulder. “So, you’re Mom’s brother?”</p><p>“That’s me! And you must be Dib,” Raoul said. “And let me guess. The purple hair is Gaz.”</p><p>“Good guess,” Gaz teased. “I’m sure not the only woman right now.”</p><p>“What can I say? I’m psychic,” Raoul teased. He looked to Zim. “And you must be Zim! Living proof that Dib didn’t have to know his mother to be exactly like her.”</p><p>Zim nodded, looking him over with interest. “What are the headphones for?”</p><p>"I was listening to all your radio signals, obviously!" Raoul laughed. "The old man forgot to invite me along to help out, so I was making sure nothing went wrong, or else I'd see if I couldn't get my old scrapheap to run again and come out as back-up. The scrapheap that we don't talk to your auntie about, by the way, because she told me to throw it away, and if you keep it quiet, I'll owe you guys."</p><p>"Raoul, I wasn't going to ask you to come along to fight the Irken Armada," Kurk scolded.</p><p>"Why not? I've only been studying Irkens for a couple decades now!" Raoul pointed out.</p><p>"Because you're not a pilot or a soldier?" Kurk offered, laughing.</p><p>"Eh, semantics. I could've helped on the sidelines!" Raoul snickered. "Just get me a drink and catch me up later, and I'll consider it even."</p><p>"Fine, fine." Kurk shook his head, laughing. </p><p>"Excuse me, where are my hugs?" Helena asked pointedly.</p><p>"Oh, how could I forget," Kurk teased, hugging her tightly, kissing her forehead. "I have to go in and get my disguise back together before I get caught. You and the kids have fun."</p><p>"Okay, babe," Helena agreed, moving to hug her kids. "Ugh, I was so worried!"</p><p>"We came out completely intact and I only have a few horror stories!" Dib laughed, hugging her back and grinning nervously. "And, uh. I've got good news, actually! I'm--- engaged?"</p><p>"Engaged?!" Helena pulled back, looking surprised. "You and Zimmy are getting married?!"</p><p>"Yeah! After everything was over, he proposed, and it just--- felt like the right time!" Dib beamed, sheepish but delighted.</p><p>"Aww, that's great!" Helena grinned, delighted as well. "Raoul, you're gonna have another alien wedding to go to."</p><p>"Yeah? But I just recovered from the last alien wedding!" Raoul joked.</p><p>"Dude, how many years ago was that?" Helena teased, nudging him. "Go get your girl."</p><p>"Alright, alright! I swear, this family and their aliens. This is why Mama said I'd always be the normal one, and then told us about how low that bar was," Raoul snickered, but stepped back to the sliding glass door, calling inside. "Gia! Kurk and the kids are back with the other aliens! You ought to come meet them!"</p><p>"Coming!" </p><p>After a moment, Gia emerged from the back door, grinning. She was on the chubbier side, wearing a plaid shirt and high-waisted jeans. Her long, almond-shaped nails were painted a metallic red, and her hair was about the same shade without the chrome. She had a slightly deep but warm, melodic voice. "So these are the niece and nephew I've been hearing so much about! I hear you've been off in space kicking galactic butt," she said. "Ohh, Gaz, your hair is different from the photos. I love it short. It was nice long, too, of course, but you just have one of those faces where you can wear it however, huh?"</p><p>"Heh, I guess so. I just wanted it out of my face," Gaz confessed. "Got sick of putting it up."</p><p>"Oh, absolutely, I feel that. There are some days where I just wanna buzz it all off, but I know I’ll regret it," Gia agreed. "And Dib! Rockin' the same look as Kurk, I see."</p><p>"Yeah, I've been thinking about trying to see what it'd look like grown out, though," Dib replied brightly. Even with how exhausted he was, he'd been excited to meet more family, and Gia was no exception to that. "It's nice to finally meet you! I know Mom had been trying to organize a visit before we got off the planet, but apparently you were out of the country?”</p><p>"Yeah oh my god, I am so sorry for not being around. I work for a magazine and I kept getting pulled away for work stuff," Gia explained. "It's nice to meet both of you! I actuallyyyyy have presents!" She went for her bag that she hung at her side, unintentionally flashing her thirty or so buttons, the largest of which was in a familiar color scheme of stripes--- blue, pink, white.</p><p>Not giving the buttons any thought, though, she continued to dig. "Aw man. Where are they?"</p><p>"Oh, hey, uh--- if it's okay for me to ask, um, and--- it's totally cool if you don't want to answer, but," Dib floundered for a moment, his attention stuck on that button, but not in a bad way. Not even remotely--- he looked more excited than anything, really. "Are you trans, Aunt Gia?"</p><p>"Hmm?" She looked up, then back down at her buttons. "Oh! Yeah! You know this flag?"</p><p>"Yeah, of course!" Dib agreed brightly, a little embarrassed. This wasn't something he'd talked about in years, but the solidarity was something he could hardly pass up. "I'm--- trans too, actually!"</p><p>"WHAT!" Gia ran over and hugged him. "That is so freakin’ exciting!! Finally, I’m not the family token! It’ll be so nice to have someone around at family events who <i>gets</i> me. No offense, Raoul.”</p><p>"No offense taken!" Raoul chuckled. </p><p>"That's what I was thinking!" Dib gave a laugh, hugging her back. "I mean--- I pass well enough, so it's something that I just kind of put to the side, usually, but--- it's nice to have somebody around who's gone through the same stuff!"</p><p>"Yeah, damn, I never would have noticed if you didn't tell me," Gia agreed, laughing. “Apparently Irkens have such a blasé attitude about 'non-standard' anatomy that Kurk probably didn't even question it and just put you on blockers and T as soon as you hit puberty."</p><p>"That's exactly what happened!" Dib grinned. "Which, like--- I count myself lucky to not have to have gone through two puberties. You're so much stronger than I could ever be, honestly."</p><p>"Ehh, worth it." Gia waved it off.  "That's so cool though. I actually work for a queer community magazine."</p><p>"Oh, man, really?" Dib lifted his brows, immediately looking impressed. "That's awesome! I've done a little bit of journalism, but nothing serious. People who do that full-time are hardcore."</p><p>"Yeah, it's definitely busy," Gia agreed. "That’s actually why I was out of the country. I was in Mexico doing an article about how same-sex marriage rights have affected the community over there. I’m currently the only person on the team who speaks any Spanish, so it couldn’t be avoided, even if I wanted to come home the exact millisecond I heard Helena was back. I got you guys these little goodie bags for when I came back, though. It's just candy and coins and a magnet and stuff."</p><p>"What? That's awesome, though, thank you," Dib took his gratefully. "I've never actually gotten to visit, but I'd really like to someday."</p><p>"Oh, cool," Gaz agreed, digging through her bag. She immediately took out a piece of candy to eat.</p><p>"Well, hey," Gia offered. "Why don't we make a trip out there sometime? Big family adventure.”</p><p>“That’d be awesome,” Gaz said, as enthusiastic as her relative stoicism would allow her to manage.</p><p>“Yeah, we’ll have to,” Dib agreed. </p><p>“We can talk about it more a little later,” Helena cut in gently. “For now, we should get cracking on dinner. We got a lot of people to feed!”</p><p>"I think that sounds like a great idea," Raoul agreed, waving everyone inside. "C'mon! I think we might have enough chairs for everybody. If not, we'll figure something out!"</p><p>Helena crouched. "Gir! Come here baby, we need your help!"</p><p>Gir, immediately soothed by Helena's presence, toddled off with her. "We cookin'?"</p><p>"Sure are," Helena said, laughing. "You guys are gonna love this little guy."</p><p>"Think Kurk is gonna yell at us for not asking Foodio to help?" Gia teased.</p><p>"Of course he is."</p><p>"I missed having everybody together." Raoul let out a content sigh, following the women and the tiny robot inside to get to work.</p><p>The afternoon was pleasant, filled with food and laughs and family. Finally, things were going back to normal.</p><p>As the day wound down and the Irkens found their way back to their hive (Dib in tow, because he'd basically moved in) Zim's smart phone buzzed for the first time all week. "Oh, I have service back," he remarked, pulling it out.</p><p>The text message was one from an unsaved number, but it was a series of a few messages, a few pauses between them, as if the one sending them seemed uncertain about it. </p><p>&lt;(Hey, Zim, this is Keith. Sorry if it's been a while, life got kind of busy.)<br/>&lt;(I thought about it for a while, and was wondering if I could still take you up on that offer for the cybernetic eyes?)<br/>&lt;(It's okay if you're too busy to do it, I get that. Stuff happens.)</p><p>Zim jumped at the messages, texting back hurriedly. </p><p>(OH MY GOD I HOPE YOU DIDN'T SEND ANY OF THESE WHILE I WAS. UH. OUT OF SERVICE. I DONT KNOW HOW LONG YOUVE BEEN WAITING BUT IF ITS A WEEK I AM SO SORRY.)&gt;</p><p>There was a significant pause, but within minutes, there came a reply. </p><p>&lt;(It's okay! I figured it was something like that. People get busy sometimes.)<br/>&lt;(I honestly forget if it was a week or not but I've been distracted with other stuff so don't worry about it.)</p><p>(I WILL BE, AS THEY SAY, REAL WITH YOU. I WAS NOT ON THE PLANET SO I HAD NO CELL SERVICE. I AM BACK NOW THOUGH AND CAN DO THE EYES THING SOON JUST GIVE ME LIKE 20 MINUTES TO MAKE SOME.)&gt;</p><p>&lt;(Wait twenty minutes? That's it?)</p><p>(YEAH I STILL HAVE THE SCHEMATICS FOR THE OLD ONES WHY IS THAT WEIRD)&gt;</p><p>&lt;(There's no inflection on my screen reader of that so um. It's not weird though I don't think. If you make stuff you keep plans for it around right? That makes sense.)</p><p>(OH OKAY. YES I FORGOT TO PUNCTUATE THE SENTENCE APPROPRIATELY. MY BAD.)&gt;</p><p>&lt;(It's fine! It just makes the screen reader sound weird. It happens sometimes.)</p><p>(WHERE DO YOU WANT TO MEET?)&gt;</p><p>&lt;(Maybe my house? Unless yours would be better, I think Gretchen still knows where it is.)</p><p>(UHHH. WELL I HAVE MY LAB STUFF AT MY HOUSE BUT I DO NOT WANT TO TROUBLE YOU.)&gt;</p><p>&lt;(It's no problem! I actually can’t really come today, though. Think we could do next week sometime?)</p><p>(COME WHENEVER YOU WANT. I WILL LET MY HIVE MATES KNOW.)&gt;</p><p>A pause. Fuck. His text to speech reads out loud.</p><p>(SHIT I MEAN ROOMMATES.)&gt;</p><p>There was a pause taken within Keith's home, before he spoke up again, calling out into the room. "Hey, Gretchen, are you still in here?"</p><p>"Yeah, babe, what's up?" Gretchen asked, sitting down beside him gently after having gotten herself a cup of coffee. "I heard your screen reader, like. Screaming. Did you finally get a hold of Zim?"</p><p>"Yeah, I did! He said he could hook me up with those eyes," Keith replied, leaning his shoulder gently against her. Nope, no need to explain that hive thing, she didn't catch it, it seemed. "We’re gonna figure out a time next week. Would you mind taking me over there? I--- think I'm gonna give it a try."</p><p>"Sure, if you're positive," Gretchen agreed. "You sure you wanna deal with him?"</p><p>"I think I can handle it," Keith nodded. "I'm mostly worried about shifting back from not seeing anything to seeing everything. Especially after I just learned the living room again with the new couch!"</p><p>"Should be exciting, though," Gretchen said, patting his leg. "Ugh, where does that lunatic live again?"</p><p>"In that one cul-de-sac by the Speedz-Mart," Keith hummed thoughtfully. "Unless that was where your brother lives? I can never remember."</p><p>"No, Bobby lives in that apartment," Gretchen replied. "I’m off early on Wednesday, so I can take you over then. For now, though, I think I wanna order Chinese food, watch a crappy movie, and not think about how weird it’ll be to associate with Zim in any capacity.”</p><p>"Ugh, yes, that sounds amazing, thank you," Keith gave an overdramatic relieved groan. "Let me just get back to Zim real fast.."</p><p>&lt;(Gretchen and I will be over on Wednesday, probably in the afternoon or evening. Does that work for you?)</p><p>(YES THAT IS FINE.)&gt;</p><p>&lt;(Cool. See you then!)</p><p>(OK SEE YOU.)&gt;</p><p>"Why does he put everything ever in caps?" Gretchen asked.</p><p>"I think it's just because he's annoying," Keith remarked with a chuckle.</p><p>"Yeah that tracks."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Finally we get back to the zadr!! Hope you guys are ready for That Gay Shit again!!!</p><p>Anyways, not much to say about this chapter! Hope y'all can catch the live reading!</p><p>Stay tuned for Ch 3 - "With New Eyes"!!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey everyone! Welcome back! I appreciate your patience with us as we get started on another exciting adventure in the Emergence universe! </p><p>Originally it was our intention to release side-stories for Emergence related to the fun, episodic romps we have planned out. However, thanks to modestmink's stroke of brilliance, we were actually able to tie everything together into a second, very exciting plotline! It'll take a while for the plot to drop, but stay tuned! We look forward to showing you another good time!</p><p>Also, the Emergence podfic is due to start recording this month, and we have a fantastic cast lined up! Follow us on tumblr @irken-scum and @modestmink for regular updates about this fic, the podfic, and our new longform piece, End of the Line!</p><p>ENJOY!!! We're excited to be back!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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